Devotion
by twi-ction
Summary: Summary: Post Eclipse. Basically my version of Breaking Dawn. Follows the pre-wedding, wedding ceremony, reception, sex, and alot of drama and twists along the way. I hope you enjoy it. Disclaimer - As ALWAYS, I do not have any legal claim to the charac
1. Resisting Temptation

Title : Resisting TemptationRating: PG- 13Pairing: Edward/BellaAuthor: meggers102290Setting: Bella has been staying with Alice at the Cullen residence for the week while Edward, Emmet, Jasper, and Carlisle went hunting for 5 days. Summary: Edward and Bella are reunited after a lengthy seperation and Edwards resistance wears thin.

It had been a rough night. I had tossed and turned through most of it, resisting the constant urge to sleep on the couch instead. I always told him I hated this bed. "Unnecessary" I believe was the term of choice. I couldn't lay all of the blame on this ridiculous bed though…. I knew that a very large portion of my restlessness was due to the fact that I had not seen Edward for close to a week now. Damn Alice for keeping their return date a secret from me.

My mind wandered restlessly to the month ahead of me. Not too much longer, and I would be his wife… and then, not long after that I would never have to be left behind when he went on a hunting trip, because I would be right beside him.

I stretched out and flexed my toes and then tried to focus on relaxing every part of my body. That proved to be very near impossible. All I could think about was Edward. He was all I ever thought about. It was worse now than it usually was, considering this was the longest he had ever left me since graduation. I longed for every aspect of him. His breath, his cold hands, his voice. Maybe if I had his gentle lullaby to comfort me then I would be able to fall asleep.

I shook my head, disgusted with myself. I needed to sleep. A light creak from the door alerted me that Alice was checking in on me again. I was surprised, she normally waited until at least 3 AM, she was an hour early. She must bored, I concluded to myself as I shut my eyes in an effort to avoid one of her common lectures about the importance of sleep. I heard the door click closed and I relaxed slightly, not realizing that I had been so tense. A sudden cold sensation sent an unexpected thrill through my body.

"Your acting skills haven't improved in my absence, I see", His silk-like voice cooed.

"Edward", I sighed, turning in his arms to face him.

He surveyed me for a moment, running his cold fingers across my face, lingering a little too long on the dark circles beneath my eyes. "You need to sleep, Bella" he concluded.

A short laugh escaped me. "How on earth could you expect me to sleep _now_? I have been without you for a week, do you have any idea how much I have missed you?"

"I could assume that its an amount comparable to how much I have missed you."

I was about to argue but his lips crushed back my protest and melted it into a sigh instead. My heart raced as his fingers laced through my hair, pulling me closer to him. This was a rare kiss. Edward was very careful about not letting himself get carried away. He was too interested in protecting my virtue and making sure I was less breakable before he would succumb to my stubborn requests.

I was very shocked when he rolled his cold body over on top of me, being very careful not to let me bear any of his weight. I could feel his cold knees positioned at either side of my hips. The taste of him drove me wild. I let my hands wander fearlessly up and down his back. I was out of breath when he finally removed his attention from my mouth and allowed his lips to wander down my jaw line and to my throat where they lingered for an immeasurable amount of time. It was then that he realized that my night time apparel tonight was much less than what it usually was. My firm opposal to doing laundry at someone else's house left me wearing underwear and a bra to bed.

"Why aren't you wearing pajamas?"

"I was running out, " I replied honestly, not including the fact that my near-nakedness was also meant for this particular instance.

"Why must you torment me so?" he sighed

"Your resistance torments me constantly! I have to get back at you somehow" I teased.

He resumed his attention to my neck for a brief moment before moving his lips farther below my collarbone than they had ever traveled before. My breath caught in my throat as he kissed a straight line all the way to my hip bone. It was too late to stop myself, my hopes were up. I reached for his shirt and began unbuttoning it with an unacknowledged skill. He didn't protest. He allowed me to slip the shirt off of his shoulders and throw it aside. Taking advantage of his sudden tolerance, I reached down to unbutton his pants. His hands caught my wrists and pinned them to the bed. Before I could complain his lips met mine with an apologetic kiss.

"Bella," he spoke against my lips "what am I going to do with you"

"I thought I was helping you make that decision" I whispered in the most seductive tone I could manage.

His eyes flashed to mine, an unfamiliar sense of urgency and desire in them. He banished my small smile of triumph my busying my lips with his own once again. He let go of my wrists and his hands explored my body. Stroking up and down my torso, leaving a lingering cold sensation everywhere that he touched.

All too abruptly, he rolled off of me. I breathed a small sigh of protest as I turned on my side to look at him.

He was laying on his back staring at the ceiling. His expression gave me the impression that if he had any reason to breathe at all, he would be gasping for air just like me at that moment. I watched him for a few minutes, taking in every detail of him that I had been longing for. My hand traveled to his chest and I outlined the perfect planes. His hand fluttered up gracefully to meet mine. He pulled my wrist up to his nose and inhaled deeply before planting a light kiss on it. He turned to face me and smiled his dazzling smile.

" I missed you, Bella"

" I missed you too Edward. I'm so glad your home."

His arms circled around me and pulled me close to him. I rested my head on his shoulder and accepted the fact that our adventure would end here tonight.

"What, no complaint?" He teased.

"I know better. Your too stubborn" I replied "But I can take pleasure in the fact that each time I attempt to seduce you we get farther and farther. You can't resist me for too much longer."

"Your right Bella." His eyes blazed with the emotions he could not describe. "Do you have any idea how horrifying this is for me? Do you have any idea how scared I am that I will hurt you? As much as I enjoy these experiences Bella, you need to stop tempting me. There will be plenty of time for this after we are married and…." his voice trailed off

"And I become a vampire" I finished.

"Yes" he sighed. "After you become eternally damned"

I smiled triumphantly. It wasn't often that Edward mentioned my future as a vampire without attempting to change my mind in some way, this was definite improvement.

"How did hunting go??"

He hesitated. "As well as they could have.. I convinced them all to come back today instead of tomorrow."

"Why?" I implored.

"So I could do this" He reached for my chin and tilted it up so that he could gently kiss me.

"No argument there." I breathed.


	2. Banishment

Title: Banishment

Author: meggers102290

Rating: M (mature) due to language and mild sexual content

Pairings: Edward/Bella

Disclaimer: all characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer's genius imagination. I have no ownership of them at all.

Summary: All relationships need to have a bit of drama and disagreement, right?

Setting: This is my insert for the last few chapters of eclipse. Shortly before Jacob receives an invitation to the wedding from Edward.

"Go to sleep, Bella" his silk voice ordered. I lifted one eyelid so he could see my eye rolling rebelliously beneath it. The past two weeks he had been insistent upon making me sleep as much as possible. Every time I would complain he would point out that there wasn't much time for me to sleep left so I should enjoy the escape while it was available. I had a suspicion that it had something to do with the fact that he got some kind of weird enjoyment out of watching me sleep and listening to me talk endlessly about the things that he couldn't read in my mind.

"Honestly Bella," He continued, " You need to sleep. If you don't stop this stubborn resistance, I may have to leave."

"No." I discarded the idea. "I'm not tired at all, really. I took a nap today while you guys were hunting." This time _he _rolled his eyes. I couldn't tell weather the attitude was due to disbelief or defeat. I took advantage of his submissiveness to slip in a quick question that had been playing on the edge of my thoughts all evening. "You said Alice sent out wedding invitations yesterday, right?"

"Yes." He eyed me warily, sensing my alternative reasoning for asking about something that Alice had clearly made a point of over-elaboration.

I hesitated, biting my lip without realizing it. Big mistake.

"Continue.." Edward pushed.

I met his gaze for a long moment before hesitantly resuming my thought, paying extra attention to the way I phrased my sentences.

" Did she end up… or rather, did she even consider sending invitations to… well…." My hesitation gave away the punch line.

"La Push" he concluded for me.

I said nothing, but stared at him intently waiting to read his reaction through his facial expressions. He was too cautious though, and kept his thoughts carefully hidden beneath his perfect and angelic façade. An immeasurable amount of time passed before he opened his mouth to speak again

"No, Bella. I was not informed that she did." He smoothly stated. "I did not expect that you would have wanted to see Jacob at our wedding though. But then again, I couldn't be expected to seeing as I can not read your mind and you tend to keep all of your thoughts involving him securely concealed." I sensed a slight note of sarcasm infiltrating the sweet sound of his voice.

He was right though, I rarely spoke to him about Jacob. The last time we had been in the same room.. -Or, tent, rather- with Edward, I was employing Jacob as my half naked personal space heater in the interest of maintaining possession of all ten of my toes. And after that, I had not been able to place myself in Jacob's presence at all without him repeatedly proclaiming his undying love and devotion for me. Things had been… well, awkward. But even so, Jacob was still like a brother to me.

"What are you implying" I retorted coldly.

His eyes found mine and he studied my face before responding

"You love him." It was not a question.

"I believe we have discussed the topic of how I feel about Jacob many times and just to recap.." I shot back "If the love you are referring to is the brother/sister/family kind of love, then yes. You are exactly right." Of course I would never admit to Edward that I loved Jacob as anything else. I was still not entirely allowing myself to believe it.

His eyes betrayed his disbelief.

Somehow, Edward and Jacob both were certain that I was in love with Jacob. I stood my ground still insisting that they were both crazy. I refused to let myself think about the possibility of loving Jacob. Any time I considered it, I felt immediately guilty and I was not willing to make any bigger of a mess of things than I had already.

I shook my head in disgust and disbelief at Edwards annoying persistence, but when I opened my mouth to speak, he cut me off.

"Bella, if you want to invite him, then invite him. Hell, why don't you even ask him to be your maid of honor." The sarcasm was apparent now. He wasn't even trying to conceal his distaste. His words had stung, he knew that Alice was going to be my maid of honor…. And implying that I would ever replace her with Jacob made it sound like he had no faith in me at all.

I made no show of hiding the hurt in my features. I wanted him to know how hurt I was.

" Really, Edward?" I fought tears. "Do you really think that little of me?" I broke our gaze and focused on the water stains on my ceiling. I couldn't lose it now, I couldn't be this weak. Damn my tear ducts! I wanted him to know I was hurt, but proving again that I was a weak cry-baby was not in my intentions.

Still staring at the ceiling, I continued.

" I never even said that I _wanted_ to invite him. I was just asking if Alice had so I could prepare myself. I think it would be weird and awkward if he came… and I don't want to hurt his feelings anyways." I lied.

"Liar." For someone who couldn't read my mind, he sure could read me like an open book sometimes. "Bella, I didn't mean to undermine your morals… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said….. Bella, are you _crying?"_

"No." I sniffed.

"Isabella Swan," he pulled my chin up until he captured my eyes with his own. "Are you crying because I'm right?"

"NO!" I scowled. "I'm crying because your being an asshole." He opened his mouth but I cut him off. "Your so convinced that you know what I'm thinking all the time when in all reality, out of everyone in this universe, I am the LAST person you can honestly say that about!"

"Your right Bella." He caught me off guard with that one. " I'm sorry for being so observant."

"UGH!" I groaned. "What are you saying Edward, what do you want _me_ to say? Do you want me to just break down and say 'Oh Edward, you're right. I'm in LOVE with Jacob and I want him at our wedding so that he can take advantage of the objection opportunity and steal me away!'" I mocked mercilessly. "Is that what you want me to say?"

He chuckled. "Hey now, I thought mind-reading was my job" He jested.

My jaw dropped. I took his words maybe a little bit too seriously.

"Edward Cullen, how the hell could you even entertain the idea of me leaving you for him!" I was speaking as loudly as I could without risking waking up Charlie. "How could you…. For one second…. How… Edward!" I was clearly sobbing now. I could not even fathom how he could be so sure of something that even I didn't understand fully.

His arms circled around me and pulled me closer as he stared intently into my eyes. I detected a remaining hint of mockery in them as he tried to do that dazzling thing that was so unfair. No. I wouldn't have it. He was not going to bat his long eyelashes and get me to forgive him this time. He had gone too far. I straightened my arms in front of my chest in an attempt that would be considered very weak in comparison to any resistance he could make. I felt his body tense in shock as he correctly interpreted my body language. He backed-off and let go of me. My tear filled eyes turned furious.

"Get out."

He blinked once in shock and inhaled sharply as he tried to determine if I was serious or not.

I was.

"Edward, get out. Now!" I ordered as I rolled out of bed and pointed at the window.

"Awe, come on Bella. Don't get mad at me for being percept…."

"OUT!"

That was that. I had shouted the last order. Charlie was sure to have heard. Edward had about 15 seconds to leave before Charlie caught him in here and came after him with a gun.

Edward gave me one last fleeting look. I could tell that my sudden temper had drawn his full attention to how much he had actually hurt me.

"I'm sorry Bella" he whispered, and then flung himself gracefully out the window.

The creak of a door alerted me of Charlie's approach. I laid back down in my bed, still cold from Edwards marble body, and fumed silently as Charlie creaked open my door to check on me. After Charlie's loud snores from the other room told me that he was asleep again, I gave in to the tears. I wasn't worried about Edward returning. He wouldn't come back. Not tonight, and not for the rest of the week, I decided. My window would be locked. So would my door, if it came down to it.

How could he be so stupid!? I marveled. What had possessed him to be so rude and unconscious of my feelings. He had never been that harsh before. Jealousy? That was the only possible conclusion. He was jealous of the fact that there was another man that I could potentially have feelings for. But I didn't. Or at least I was convinced of that for now. I certainly knew that my love for Edward was stronger than any emotion I could ever have. But the fact that he did not trust me or believe me enough to accept that was agonizing. I couldn't sleep any more now than I could before, though for a different reason. I was definitely exhausted now, but I hadn't slept in this bed without Edward beside me for near 6 months now. His scent was still faintly noticeable. It made me miss him, against my better judgement. I decidedly stood up and stripped all of the sheets and blankets and even pillows clear off my bed. There… his scent was gone. I curled up on the rough mattress with no blankets and cried myself to a fitful sleep.

Morning held no promise. I woke up without cold arms embracing me and knew that however this day turned out was my fault. I had to send him away, didn't I? Oh well, he deserved it and now I have to stick with my decision.

Charlie was already gone to work when I got downstairs. The first thing I did was open the front door and step briefly out onto the porch to remove the house key from its hiding place. I threw it on the kitchen counter and scrounged up a bowl of cereal.

On a normal morning I would have sat at the table and stared at Edward staring at me while I chewed, but this was not a normal morning. Edward was not here. "And well he shouldn't be" I reminded myself out loud.

"Talking to yourself?"

The voice frightened me. I spun in a circle, spilling some cereal down the front of me.

"Alice!" I exhaled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. " She apologized. "Now would you mind explaining to me what is going on?"

"What do you mean?" I asked as innocently as I could.

"What I mean is… why did my brother come home last night?"

"Alice, let me define for you the word 'home'" I skirted around answering.

"Bella, you know exactly what I mean. He looked dead, no pun intended. He walked in and went up to his room without speaking to anyone. He's still up there too, sulking, for all I know."

"Oh." I casually chewed a spoonful of cereal trying to portray my indifference.

"Maybe its none of my business, but I really would like to know what happened."

I sighed. She had her own significant way of dazzling a person to get her way. I relayed for her Edward and I's argument from the previous night, leaving out the tears and the stripping of the bed.

"That explains it." She stated.

I nodded. "So Edwards sulking huh?"

"I didn't mean it explained him… I meant it explained you."

"What do you mean?"

"Bella,.." she hesitated. "You look like shit, honey.."

I blushed. I had neglected my morning grooming routine due to Edwards absence. I had no one to impress. Not that my ordinary features were impressive anyways…

"How long are you going to keep this up?" Alice interrupted.

"I can't tell you. I don't want him to see it in your thoughts."

She groaned. "Bella, don't torture him anymore. Its not just him you're torturing, its all of us. Do you think we want to deal with him moping?"

I held up a hand to silence her. "I am not forgiving him that easily. He hurt my feelings and I need some time to……" I didn't know what I needed time for.

She frowned at my sudden silence. "Well, I have to go hunting now.. But just…. Promise me that you'll at least think about talking to him. Soon."

"Okay, Alice." I knew there was no hope in arguing with her.

She turned to exit, but suddenly stopped and spun on her heel.

"ONE WEEK!" She gasped.

I scowled. Unfair. The Cullens always used their mind tricks to get an edge over me. Like they needed any more of an edge.

"Goodbye Alice. Happy hunting" I dismissed as I began to wash my cereal bowl.

She groaned in disgust and gracefully bounded out the door.

I felt suddenly smug. Edward felt bad. Good. That was the plan.

Edward.

I turned to stare at the seat he would have normally been occupying. A all-to-familiar pain in my stomach made me realize that I was not doing much better than Edward….. And this was my choice. I slid down to the kitchen floor, clenching my sides as the familiar lonliness set in. I desperately clung to the two halves of myself, not willing to go to pieces again. I took some deep breaths and got back to my feet. I decided to go about my day as if nothing was missing. I proceeded to take a shower and do the laundry and dishes. I made an elaborate dinner for Charlie. The effort I put into it made me realize that I had been slacking on cooking since Edward was around. I felt guilty for making Charlie suffer. I set my mind to making up for it with a week of gourmet feasts.

The week carried on in a similar fashion. I set myself to house arrest, repeatedly cleaning things that were already clean… performing acts of culinary mastery, and focusing on keeping the hole in my heart from getting carried away. I barely slept. I tried to listen to music and read, but the words kept finding excuses to throw an imperfect vision of Edward into my head. Occasionally Alice would stop by and beg me to stop being reclusive. She claimed that the entire family missed me, even Rosalie. I found that highly unlikely, but I allowed it. None of her attempts drew me closer to forgiving him until she stormed in and practically yelled…

"Why!, OH WHY! Do I suddenly see your wedding disappearing?" Her tone was very accusatory.

"I don't know, Alice."

"Did you make any recent last minute invitations?"

I caught on. "No, Alice, I didn't send any invitations to La Push." She looked shockingly disappointed. I gave her a quizzical glance.

"Well…." she faltered… "If its not because of werewolves…."

I understood. Could my refusal to speak with him be so hurtful that it would….. Put a halt to our marriage? I hugged myself, not wanting to let the pieces of me fall apart in front of Alice. I started breathing heavily. How long had it been……. 6 days? Wow. No wonder I was such a mess. And now I realized that my rebellious stubbornes and refusal to see him may have cost us our future. It was almost too much.

"I think you should leave now, Alice."

The tone of my voice was convincing enough. She looked at my pained expression and my arms wrapped tightly around myself, she gave me a fleeting look of sympathy.. and was gone. Just like her brother.

Gone.

It was all my fault, how much more could I screw up. The tears that stung my eyes were cut off by the unexpected sound of the phone ringing. I expected it would be Edward, so I lifted the reciever and sighed,

"I'm sorry."

Pause.

"For what?" Jacob's voice seemed confused.

"JAKE!" I exclaimed. I hadn't realized how long it had been since I'd heard his voice.

"Yeah, hey Bells." He said conversationally. "Look, I can't talk long, but I just wanted to call and thank you for the invitation."

My heart stopped.

"In…..invitation?" I stammered.

"Yeah, ya know.. To your wedding. I got it this morning. Thanks. I didn't really know how to react at first - especially with the personal little note your blo-... Edward attached.. but thanks. "

I was at a complete loss for words.. "I, umm… your welcome, I guess."

"Don't worry, Bella. I'll behave, I promise." He assured me.

"Yeah, sure Jake." I was still in shock. I heard some shouting on the other line followed with Jacob's hasty goodbye. I set down the phone.

"Edward." I whispered to myself.

There were the tears that the phone had scared away. They flowed fearlessly now. Down my cheeks, into my hair. Edward invited him. That was good, right? I couldn't tell. I didn't even know why I was crying anymore. I suddenly felt very claustrophobic. I gasped for air as I clutched my sides together. I stumbled to the front door and let myself out into the rain. The heavy water droplets soaked my face and washed away my tears. I stared at the sky in wonder. I couldn't tell if I was still crying, that was one benefit of rain, I decided.

Almost instinctively, I turned my head to the right. He was there. I couldn't see him, but I could feel him. I headed in the direction of the woods. As I grew nearer I spotted him sitting on the damp ground soaking wet. He immediately stood and prepared himself for my repeated banishment. He was ready to be sent away again, I could tell. And as I ran towards him, tripping and stumbling all the way, he winced as if he expected me to try to hit him. It was an odd wince though. As if he was more afraid of what the blow would do to me rather than him. Instead of screaming or yelling or punching him I jumped at him. He caught me without even staggering under my weight. I wrapped my legs around his torso and weaved my fingers in his soaking wet hair and pressed my lips to his.

This kiss was unlike any I had ever experienced. He kissed me back with more passion than either of us had ever been introduced to. His fingers curled into my hair, securing my face to his. I traced the outline of his lips with my tongue and expected him to recoil with the effort of behaving himself. He didn't however, he returned the motion with more experience and precision than I thought possible. A sharp crack of unexpected thunder tore us apart. I was panting, hard. He was smiling my favorite crooked smile.

"I thought you were going to kick my ass." He admitted.

"It ran through my mind." I returned the honesty.

Another crack of thunder sent us running for the house. I slipped on the mud but he was there. He caught me in his arms and ran me to the house in less than a second. I began up the stairs, but he made it there before me and pressed me to the wall in another deep kiss. His body contoured to my own and he hiked my leg over his hip. My breath caught in my throat and he removed his lips from mine, suspecting that I needed to breath again. He replaced his mouth at my colarbone and placed a trail of freezing kisses from shoulder to shoulder as he carried me to my room. He didn't seem the least bit surprised at the fact that my bed had no sheets. Barely breaking his contact with me, he swept up a blanket out of the corner of the room and positioned himself on the mattress with my rain drenched form tucked tightly in the comforter. He held me in those longed for arms and stared intently at me for… how long? It didn't matter. I was with Edward again.

"Bella" He broke the silence. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to.."

I cut him off by placing my finger against his lips.

"Shutup. Its alright. I over-reacted, it was not your fau-"

"Yes it was my fault. I was unfair and inconsiderate of you. You were completely within your right to send me away."

I was silent for a moment. Pondering this.

"Why did you invite him?" I asked.

"Bella, you were unhappy with me. I trated you badly and I had to make up for it. I did a lot of thinking while I was without you. I had to get my mind off of you somehow, I mean. And, Bella…. I love you. And I don't care who is at the wedding… as long as there is one."

"Edward, do you have any idea how hurt I was when you said you thought I could leave you for him?" I didn't often let Edward know how much he hurt me, but then again... it didn't happen often enough to be considered a problem.

He looked down. "I'm so sorry Bella. It was foolish and wrong of me."

"Edward, look at me." I requested. His eyes slowly traveled back up to meet mine. "I love you Edward. There is no feeling of love in this world more powerful than the love I feel for you. I could never look at anyone the way I look at you. You are my one and my only and I will never want to be without you."

He raised his eyebrows.

"No." I corrected him before he spoke. "This past week I did not WANT to be without you at all. It killed me." I admitted.

"Is that why you were holding yourself together all the time?" I should have known he would be watching.

I sighed in defeat, but didn't answer his question.

He read my sigh as a yes and wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm sorry Bella." He whispered again.

"What must I do to get you to shutup about that?" I pondered aloud.

He smiled deviously and occupied his lips with my own for a brief moment.

"That will do." I whispered against his lips.

He smiled, and then grew abruptly serious as he remembered a question.

"What did Alice say that freaked you out so much? I got here right after, so I didn't hear."

"Oh, that. She said she saw the wedding disappear." I understood now, why it had.

"And what did you assume. You were obviously shocked that I invited Jacob, so that wasn't it."

I blushed.

"What is it, Bella?" He dazzled me. Not fair.

I gave in. "I was afraid that my avoiding you was going to result in the cancelation of our wedding."

If Charlie had been at home and asleep at that precise moment, instead of at work.. He would have definitely heard the roar of laughter that Edward emitted.

I frowned.

He grabbed my face in his hands. "Silly Bella. That wedding, our wedding, means more to me than almost anything. You, mean more to me than anything. Nothing could make me want to cancel that wedding. "

"Same here" I smilled.

He kissed me lightly.

"I love you Bella."

"I love you too… and I missed you."

"I missed you too sweetheart. And I'm so sor-"

Taking his advice I cut off his additional unnecessary apology with my lips. He took the hint and let the point drop.

"Don't you have to cook supper?" He asked.

"Charlie can live with pizza." I grinned.


	3. Devotion

Title: Devotion

Rating: PG

Characters: Bella, Edward, Charlie, Alice (by mention)

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Summary: Post-Eclipse - 1 night before the wedding. Edward is bringing Bella home and seeing her for the last time before the wedding. Charlie is not pleased with the wedding and Edward makes an attempt at talking to him.

"I still find it extremely unnecessary for Alice to insist on keeping us apart tomorrow." I whined. The remaining days in the month had flown by and the wedding was creeping ever nearer. The time until being counted in hours now, rather than days.

"She just wants to make this special" his hand found my chin and pulled it up until I met his deep golden eyes with my own I broke off the gaze as soon as I could without offending him. I was not going to let him dazzle me out of my stubborn complaints.

The silver Volvo slowed to a gentle halt in front of my house. As I surveyed the complete normality of my simple small white house, I was suddenly flooded with realization. This house would no longer be my home after tomorrow. After tomorrow, my home was the Cullen residence. After tomorrow, my home was wherever Edward was. Edward, my husband. The words shocked me even in my mind, though I was getting much more used to the idea of marriage. Charlie, however, had been less than thrilled when I broke the news of our engagement to him. At first, he was entirely opposed to it. His face took on an abnormal shade of purple as he growled "Bella Swan, I expressly forbid you to marry that boy!". It took a couple of weeks for him to speak to me after that, and even then he entertained to intention of attending the ceremony.

"What are you thinking?"

His soft velvet voice shook me from my thoughts and I wondered how long he had been studying my face trying to interpret what was going through my mind.

"Nothing." I replied too quickly

"Second thoughts?" I could hear the pain in his voice.

"No, Edward, I just wish there was a way that Charlie could be happy too." I confided.

His beautiful eyes held mine for a moment before he disappeared from the drivers seat and appeared almost simultaneously at my door. He helped me out in a very gentlemanly fashion with a look of pained determination across his perfect face.

"Charlie will come around" He assured me.

As we approached the door, his grip tightened around my waist. I looked up at him imploringly, but he avoided eye contact and reached forward to turn the handle and let us into the house. Charlie stood waiting, his arms crossed in the entry way.

"Hi Dad." I edged.

" You're twenty minutes past curfew." He was speaking to Edward, I realized.

I exhaled in exasperation, about to open my mouth to protest but Edward squeezed my elbow and cut me off.

"Bella, honey, why don't you go upstairs and give me a moment with your father." It was a demand, not a request.

I froze. He lifted my chin with his hand and did that dazzling thing that I hate. Something about his firm jaw-set and confident eyes told me that it would be in my best interest to humor him, just this once, and do what he says. He was not intent on letting me have any part in an argument with Charlie tonight. My rebellious side took over, wanting at least one additional say in the matter. I rose on my tip-toes and pressed my lips to Edwards, smiling discreetly over the sharp intake of breath coming from Charlie's direction.

"Alright" I agreed in the sweetest voice I could manage. I threw a brief glance at Charlie's furious face before darting up the stairs. I hoped that my actions weren't going to make things harder for Edward.

I reached my room and shut the door silently behind me before leaning my back against it and sliding to the floor. I listened intently, waiting to hear the shouts of fury erupt from Charlie at any moment. They never came. In fact, nothing came. I sat up there for close to an hour, just staring at the room. _My_ room. It seemed so foreign to me. Like it didn't belong to me anymore. My eyelids drooped and I realized how exhausted I was. Alice had made me try on my wedding dress almost 10 times, constantly altering it in some way, insisting that it _had_ to be perfect. I let my thoughts aimlessly wander while I stared intently at the window. Edward wouldn't leave without saying goodbye. I sighed impatiently.

Almost as if in response, the branches on the tree outside moved against the wind. I stood to meet him, but stopped when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Charlie.

I quickly flung myself onto my bed and closed my eyes, hoping that my fake sleeping would help me to avoid a presumably uncomfortable conversation. Charlie knocked and entered the room hesitantly, ignoring the fact that I was likely asleep. I heard the scraping of the rocking chair along the floor as he clumsily dragged it over to the bed side. He was making no effort to be quiet, so I concluded that he wanted me to wake up for this. I kept my eyes closed and steadied my breathing. He sighed loudly as he sat down.

"Bells?….. Bells, honey, are you still awake?"

I didn't move.

It seemed like an eternity before he made another sound. The sound he did make, however, shocked me.

Was Charlie….. Crying?

I didn't dare open my eyes, but I could hear the unmistakable sharp and uneven intakes of breath. Chief Swan, crying. Impossible.

My stomach clenched as he began speaking. I could hear the cracks in his voice, and even with my eyes closed I could almost picture the torment on his face. I felt his tear soaked clumsy hand find my own and give it a light squeeze before he began.

"Bella, I want you to know how much I love you." His voice was so tortured and weak.

"The day you moved to Forks was one of the best days of my life, and…. And I guess I'm just not ready to let you go so soon." His voice broke and he hesitated a moment before continuing.

"I don't have anything against Edward. He is a great man, Bells, and I know that he will take care of you. I didn't realize until tonight how much he loves you. He is everything that a father could want for his daughter, and so much more. I know I haven't made this relationship easy for you. I apologize for that. You have t understand that….. I am not really good at this parenting thing……" He hesitated again.

" I'm sorry that I have been so hard on you. You didn't deserve it. I'm sorry that I have been such a horrible parent. I didn't mean to….. I never should have….." He struggled for words and then gave up with a conclusive sigh.

"I love you Isabella Marie Swan.". Another minute passed and he rose from the chair and replaced it, much quieter this time, across the room in its corner. He lingered in the doorway a moment more before he muttered.. "Honestly Bella, you're a pitiful actress"

I scowled as the door clicked shut. Why did everyone feel the need to point out my pitiful acting skills!?

In a moment he was there. His cold arms circled around me and I curled into his chest.

"Thank you", I whispered.

He chuckled lightly. "Bella, did you think that I was going to let you walk down that aisle alone tomorrow? Besides, its much easier to win an argument and change someone's mind when you have an unfair advantage. My insight is very useful in these situations."

I couldn't think of a decent response, so I twisted my neck around and found his lips in the darkness. He pulled himself on top of me without breaking the kiss. His hands held my face so gently. Too gently, almost. I wondered how much effort it took him to be this gentle. My heart accelerated as his sweet, cold breath filled my senses. I knew he could hear my erratic pulse. He listened to it often. He broke the kiss and swiftly laid his head against my chest and listened to my heart beat.

"Will you be here in the morning?" I whispered.

"No. Alice would kill me. But I'll see you at about 2."

"Who's coming to pick me up?" I asked.

"Charlie is driving you." His tone told me that that fact was not open to compromise.

I bit my lip in response, not anticipating the awkward car ride.

"Everything will be fine." He whispered in my ear. His cool breath cascaded down my neck, sending chills through every inch of me.

I caught his eyes. "I know." I assured him. "Tomorrow, I will be your wife."

His teeth glistened in the moonlight from the window. His smile made my heart skip a beat.

"Isabella Swan, I love you."

"Isabella Cullen" I corrected him.

He laughed one short, melodic note and swiftly kissed my nose.

"You don't know how happy that makes me."

I smiled. As little as I wanted to admit it, I was as happy as he was. Up until these last few weeks, marriage had not appealed to me at all. But as the date grew nearer, and now especially that Charlie was more accepting of it, I could hardly wait until the moment I could say 'I do'.

I traced his marble face in the darkness as happiness swelled inside of me.

"I love you Edward Cullen."

"I know you do Bella. You couldn't be lying, I know better. You're an awful actress, remember?"

I smiled and rolled my eyes.

"Sleep now, my Bella. You are my life, and my world. And tomorrow, you will be my wife."

"I like the sound of that." I breathed.

With Edwards ear against my chest and his lips pressed to my throat, humming my lullaby, I smiled and gave in to sleep.


	4. Preparations

Chapter 4

Preparations

My eyes flew open.

"Oh my God" I breathed aloud. A high pitched melodic chuckle sounded from across the room.

"Edward's right." She commented as she stood and crossed to my bed. "You do talk in your sleep."

I blushed.

"And you-" She poked my nose playfully with her tiny finger "are much more excited about this wedding than you let on You must have said 'I do' about ten times since I've been here!"

I blushed harder and struggled to change the topic.

"How long have you been here?"

"About an hour. It took a lot of effort on my part to get Edward to leave. He wasn't very happy with me, but he'll get over it soon enough."

I smiled, to picture tiny Alice forcing Edward out of bed and out the window was an absurd thought.

"Oh Bella!" Alice grinned, "you are going to look so beautiful tonight."

Oh God. Tonight… not even tonight, actually, it was more like this afternoon. 2 o' clock, to be exact. I threw a brief glance at the clock on the wall and my stomach suddenly became filled with butterflies. It was 10 now. 4 hours.

So many questions I had for Alice, about things she had foreseen about the wedding.

"Alice, can I ask you something…..well, actually a few things?"

"Yes." she replied warily.

"Is Renee going to be there?"

"Yes."

"Is Charlie going to be there?"

"Yes."

"Jacob?" I knew the answer was a no as soon as I asked. If he was going to be there, Alice would not have been able to see it. He must have changed his mind about attending, and I was much more upset about that then I should have been. I didn't blame him though.

She shook her head to respond to the question that I had already worked out the answer to and then she changed the subject.

"Charlie is waiting for you downstairs."

"Crap." I muttered. Charlie's teary and heart-felt apology last night was awkward enough while I was faking sleeping, I couldn't imagine how much worse it would be if I had to be coherent and responsive to it a second time

I grimaced and descended the stairs.

Charlie was in the kitchen sipping coffee and reading the newspaper. A creaking floorboard gave away my presence and I froze as he turned around to face me. I ran through the scenarios in my mind. Maybe I dreamt his apology and he was really just waiting to scream at me some more, or maybe he was going to be all mushy and supportive again. As his eyes met mine I tried to study his expression for some sort of hint as to what to expect, but nothing could have prepared me for what he did. In fact, it wasn't until he was across the room, enveloping me in a tight bear-hug that I even realized what was going on myself. My jaw dropped in astonishment. Wow, he was actually sticking with this.

"Today's the big day, Bells." He spoke without breaking our hug.

I struggled for the breath to form words. He was hugging me so tight.

"Yeah, I know.." I managed to gasp.

He properly interpreted my breathlessness and released me from his grip only to hold me at arms length by the shoulders and continue talking.

"Are you nervous?" His interest in the topic seemed strangely enthusiastic and genuine.

"Yes." I nodded. It was the truth too. I had never had so many butterflies inhabit my stomach before now. "Hey Dad, not to…er, press my luck or anything-" I edged. "But what exactly did Edward say to you to bring on this sudden tolerance?"

His forehead wrinkled up as he thought about it.

"I don't think it wasn't so much what he said as it was how he said it. He was completely honest with me, Bella. I could see it in his eyes that when he said he loved you - he meant it."

Ah, I thought, so the dazzling thing worked on Charlie too. Well played, Edward.

"It was almost like he could read my mind." Charlie continued. "He answered every question, calmed every fear, and countered every argument before I even had the chance to say it out loud. It was strange, but it was good to know that he could put himself into my shoes and see things from my point of view."

I nodded my head in agreement as Charlie pulled me into another too-tight bear hug.

"I'm sorry I was so difficult." He sighed.

I waved off his apology. "Don't worry about it Dad. All is forgiven."

With that situation all cleared up, I shrugged out from under his grasp and began gathering my common breakfast supply.

"No cereal, Bella." He ordered. "I am making you a big breakfast this morning." He moved around clumsily compiling eggs and bacon onto the table in preparation for his weak attempt at cooking. I was not at all hungry, and I felt as though I was going to be sick as it was. But Charlie was trying to be thoughtful and generous and who was I to shoot him down. I wasn't going to have much more time left with Charlie. I might as well let him have his way while I'm still here. I certainly wouldn't be able to see him after the change…which was scheduled to occur shortly after the wedding.

Wedding. Change.

Such appealing and horrifying thoughts.

I shook my head to clear my swirling conscience and submitted to Charlie's breakfast offer, Even though… it really didn't seem like I had much of a choice in the matter anyhow.

After Charlie waved off my effort to help, there was nothing left for me to do than return up the stairs to Alice. As I approached the stairs, a short knock on the door sent me in the opposite direction. I opened the door to find Alice grinning mischievously from the front porch.

"Alice….wha-?

"I had to make a proper entrance." She whispered. "Besides, I need a word with Charlie." She bounced into the house and sang out "Good Morning, Charlie!"

"Alice!" Charlie beamed "Are you hungry? I'm just about to make Bella some breakfast." He reached for another egg.

"No, no, Charlie. Thanks anyways, but I just had my breakfast."

She threw a discreet wink my way. Her version of breakfast was a little different than what Charlie had in mind.

"Bella!" Alice exclaimed as if she hadn't noticed my presence before. "Get your butt up in that shower. I have 4 hours to beautify you and your lollygagging is not making my job any easier!"

I scowled at the prospect of Alice fussing over every detail of my appearance for the next few hours and decided to make this shower last as long as possible. As I climbed the stairs, I also realized that she was probably shooing me away so that she could talk to Charlie without me being there. Typical. So many secrets .

I gathered my toiletries bag from inside of my room and undressed in a daze. I let the hot water wash over me and relieve my tension. I used Edward's favorite shampoo. The kind he said "complimented my already floral scent". As I rinsed, I thought about what was in store for me today. I was so nervous. The thought of walking down the aisle with all of those people watching me, no doubt judging my 'rash decision' horrified me. And knowing my clumsy tendencies, it would be just like me to trip and fall on my face in front of every one of them. I shook my head and forced the thoughts from my mind and realized with a start that the hot water had run out. The water was freezing cold, and it should have chilled me to the bone and replaced my tension. Instead, though, I felt strangely at home. The cold reminded me of Edward.

The thought of Edward rendered all of my butterflies immobile for a peaceful moment. I thought of him, the very definition of perfection standing at the end of that white silken path and all fear vanished. I wished we could have just gone to Vegas and did this privately. But that would have been selfish and unfair to Charlie and Renee and the Cullens. Alice especially. Listing off the names in my mind brought the butterflies back to life. I sighed in defeat and turned off the water.

I dressed quickly, realizing that Charlie's breakfast was probably getting cold. I rushed down the stairs, toweling my hair as I hurriedly forced down some breakfast. I thanked Charlie for his unnecessary thoughtfulness and ran up to my room with Alice close behind. I was suddenly in an unexplained anxious hurry. I understood the reason for this when I opened my door to find Jasper waiting for us. Alice seemed unsurprised by his presence and I shot her a quizzical glance.

"Bella, you weren't going fast enough. And, I could tell that you were nervous."

Jasper was here to calm me down and hurry me up. I silently cursed the Cullen's use of unfair powers on me while Alice blow dried my hair and threw it up into hot curlers on the top of my head. When she was done torturing my hair, she turned her attention to packing my suitcase full of my things in a minute flat. Only pausing to marvel at my lack of "sexy lingerie", all the while ignoring my constant stream of questions.

"Alice!" I raised my voice to get her attention. She stopped and looked at me in shock, as if she hadn't heard me the first seven times I asked her.

"What's the suitcase for?" I repeated.

"What?" She seemed confused. "Well what on earth do you think….unless of course he didn't tell….." she grew quiet.

"What am I missing?" I asked, even though I knew she wasn't going to tell me.

"I shouldn't." She confirmed my assumption. "Maybe he wants it to be a surprise… But honestly Bella, how could you not-"

Jasper interrupted, clearing his throat in a warning. Alice shut her mouth immediately and finished zipping up the suitcase.

The urge to protest immediately vanished and I shot Jasper a look. "Ya know, your going to exhaust yourself if you keep trying to manipulate me into feeling anything else."

He shrugged his shoulders and grinned at me before turning his attention to Alice.

"C'mon. Edward is hunting right now, if we get her over there now we can avoid the task of avoiding him."

"Wait!" I interrupted. "I thought Charlie… I mean that's what Edward said. That Charlie was going to drive me.."

"Well," Alice replied, "Edward is a man. He can't be expected to understand the amount of time I am going to need to prepare you. You clearly need to be there much earlier than he planned. Don't worry. I talked to Charlie about it. He will meet us there later." She grinned. Apparently proud of how she thought this all through.

Jasper grabbed my suitcase and Alice grabbed my hand. Jasper needed to exit through the window since Charlie was unaware of his presence in the house and would require an explanation as to why he chose to use the window to enter instead of the door. Alice grabbed my hand and led me downstairs and out the door.

"See you there, Charlie!"

His response was too distant to comprehend it. We were already in the car speeding to the Cullen residence.

--

I was strongly opposed to Alice's high levels of incessant pampering, but I knew better than to resist her. She had spent the last two hours pinning the freed curls to my head in a random fashion and applying, removing, and reapplying different shades of make up. Most, I suspected, was for her own personal pleasure and satisfaction rather than for the benefit of my appearance.

"There." She finally breathed.

She turned the spinning chair to face the mirror. I allowed myself to gasp slightly. Again, the effect was mostly for her satisfaction. She was as pleased with my reaction as I was to my appearance. She had turned me from ordinary to almost fascinating. I almost looked worthy to enter into "unholy matrimony" as he had so sarcastically put it, with Edward.

I met Alice's eyes and thanked her.

She smiled. "Dress time."

She pulled me out of her economy sized bathroom into the bedroom where the dress was laid out on the bed. The dress was pure, white silk. It had the tiniest hint of embroidery on the front and its simplicity was breathtaking. It was strapless and well fitting, thanks to hours of Alice's readjusting. I glanced at the clock. It was nearly 1. I winced. Guests would be arriving soon. I hadn't gotten to see Alice's elaborate transformation of the back lawn. Oh well, I would see it soon enough.

If Jasper hadn't been staying close and focusing on my relaxation, I would have felt very nervous just then. But I was forced instead, with no argument on my behalf, to maintain a composed and calm attitude. Alice sat down and grabbed my hand with her own. The chill sent a shiver down my spine and then I felt suddenly warm. Thank you, Jasper, I thought.

"Do you know the story behind this dress?" Alice asked.

"No… I just know that you got it for me. Which is a dead give away that it was probably very expensive." I shrugged.

She laughed. "No, silly. I didn't buy the dress."

I frowned, confused. "But... I thought you said that you bought this..."

She continued, "It was Esme's dress when she married Carlisle." I inhaled sharply, realizing the value and meaning behind the fabric in my lap. "We decided that this would be better than a designer made dress. You don't mind, do you, Bella? I wore it when I married Jasper, and Rose wears it when her and Emmet get married." She gestured to the fabric. "Its our way of welcoming you to the family as our sister, and in Esme's case, her daughter."

The tears welled up and Alice mumbled something about ruining my makeup. Jasper calmed me and sent away the tears before they had a chance to spill.

"Thank you, Alice." My voice was a whisper.

Right on time, Esme and Rosalie entered the room and accepted their hugs and thanks from me. They all helped me dress and then stood next to me in the mirror, complimenting me gratuitously.

Alice turned me to face her and grabbed my hands again.

"Its time."


	5. Ceremony

Title: Ceremony

Author: meggers102290

Rating: PG-13

Characters: Almost all of them

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer.

Summary: Part 3. Finally, the wedding ceremony.

Credit: My Best friend, Janelle - for the selection of the wedding dress.

I felt suddenly dizzy,

"Bella?" Alice sounded concerned. "Are you okay?"

I nodded weakly, too afraid to open my mouth for fear that the butterflies would escape. Even from Alice's bedroom, I could hear the joyous and beautiful piano music that Alice had selected mixed with the vague chatter of a mingling crowd. Were they talking about me? I gulped.

A knock sounded at the door, or maybe it was just the sound of my teeth clicking together as I began to tremble violently. Esme opened the door and Jasper smiled wide and nodded at Alice. He threw a glance at me and must have caught the panicked expression on my face.

"Woops, sorry Bella, I must have lost my focus." He apologized. I suddenly felt warm and calm. All traces of butterflies vanished. I smiled at Jasper, more grateful now for his subtle talent than ever before.

Alice squeezed my shoulders and led me out into the hallway. I knew if it weren't for Jasper, my heart would have burst clear out of my chest. My emotions were under control, but my thoughts were still going a mile-a-minute. The images in my mind jumped from Edward's perfection - waiting calmly to be bound to my ordinariness for eternity, to Charlie and Renee, to my friends.

Alice drew a sharp breath as we descended the stairs and I glanced over at her confused face.

"What do you see?" I pressed.

"Nothing." She was serious.

"Jacob." I understood aloud. Jacob must have decided to come after all.

"It must have been a last minute decision," She confirmed, "otherwise I wouldn't have been able to see the wedding before just now."

I was unsure how to react to Jacob's presence, but Jasper didn't really give me a choice in emotion. I was grateful for that as well.

I was shocked to discover myself at the bottom of the stairs already. Even more shocking was that Charlie was waiting for me, dressed in a suit, smiling widely, waiting to embrace me.

"You look beautiful, Bella." He smiled as he hugged me tight. Wow, I realized, not only was he actually coming to the wedding, he was going to walk me down the aisle and give me away, also. Aside from myself and Edward, the only other people actually standing in the wedding were Alice and Jasper. Alice was my maid of honor and Jasper was Edward's best man. We had decided on a small wedding party. Emmet played his role as the priest also, having just received his license from an online course.

Alice grabbed my hand and squeezed it encouragingly as she led through the house to the back patio doors.

"Alright," she grinned, "Jasper and I are going to walk down the aisle first, and then when you hear the music change -" she gestured to Charlie and I, "you guys can start walking."

She surveyed our small group momentarily before frowning slightly

"Charlie, where's Renee?" I could feel my eyes bulge as she said it.

"Here!" The answer came from across the room where Renee had just entered.

I was shocked again. I knew Renee was coming - but I also knew that she was very skeptical about my young marriage. She had taken the news better than Charlie, but it was apparent at the same time that she did not approve. As if her willingness to walk me down the aisle wasn't enough of a surprise, she also looked genuinely excited for me.

Almost as if she had read my mind, she excused her late arrival with a breathless - "Sorry, Alice. I was talking to your brother." So that was it. Edward had worked his magic on my mom, too. If it was possible for me to love him more, that moment would have made it happen.

My mother's eyes fell upon me and she smiled.

"Bella, you look stunning."

"Hi, mom." was my only response as I fell into her loving and greatly missed embrace. With tears in her eyes, she whispered "I'm really happy for you. He loved you so much." in my ear.

I grabbed her hands. "I know mom, thanks."

Jasper hesitantly interrupted. "Its time, Bella."

On cue, the joyous music switched over to a slower waltz.

"You have no reason to be nervous." Jasper winked at me.

I mouthed my thanks to him as we all fell behind Alice and stepped out into the yard.

The set-up was breathtaking. Everything was covered in brilliant white silk. There were purple lilacs and other beautiful flowers placed everywhere among the lace and ribbons. Just feet in front of me were the chairs. Easily one hundred of them, all covered in silk. In these chairs sat my biggest fears My friends, and my family. In the front row was the Cullen family, all smiling at me. Next to them, across the aisle was an awkward looking Phil, sitting between the only two open seats which were reserved for Charlie and Renee, I guessed. Behind the Cullens were an unfamiliar and painfully beautiful family that I recognized as the Denali clan. Out of them, Tanya was easily distinguishable by the sour and unhappy facial expression she possessed. No doubt she would have taken my place in an instant if the opportunity presented its self. I fleetingly hoped that she kept her mouth shut during the objection part. I scanned the rest of the crowd, picking out my friends, some fully uniformed police officers that I assumed were Charlie's co-workers, and then….. Jacob. He was out of the ordinary. Even sitting down, he still towered above the rest, and instead of stating at me like everyone else, he was examining his black, shiny shoes very carefully. I only allowed myself to linger on Jacob for a moment though. I raised my gaze finally to rest on Edward He looked like an angel. Every other face on the out-skirts of my vision disappeared. I could only see him. Edward and his surreal beauty and perfection stood gracefully on the other end of the white silk path. His eyes held minr and I had to strongly resist the urge to just run into his arms and scream "I do."

Alice jolted me from my trance-like state as she hugged me once and gave me a thumbs up in encouragement. She gracefully linked arms with Jasper and began their slow march up the aisle. Renee and Charlie both took a position at either side of me and grasped my arms. The music transitioned into a soft melody that I immediately recognized as the lullaby that Edward wrote for me.

If I had any control over my emotions at that point, I would have been fighting back tears. I could tell that Renee was already clearly sobbing, and Charlie looked like he was close.

We stepped out onto the pathway to my eternity and began out slow and deliberate walk towards my fiancé. _Fiancé. _I still wasn't used to it. I guess it really didn't matter. In a few moments, husband would become the appropriate title. And I had the rest of my life and then some to get used to that.

As we walked, I could feel everyone's eyes on me, but the only eyes that mattered were the topaz ones that belonged to Edward. I held his gaze, only focusing on him and on not tripping or fainting. I could see the overpowering happiness in his eyes, and judging from his small half smile, I guessed that he could see the same emotion in my eyes too. After a long moment, we reached the end of the aisle. I turned to hug Charlie and Renee, and then took Edward's ice-cold hand. Edward and I stared intently at each other as Emmet welcomed everyone and began the ceremony with the proper speeches. I was so lost in Edward's gaze that I didn't catch hardly any of what Emmet was saying. I tuned in briefly to monitor the silence after the objection opportunity had been presented, and it wasn't until then when I realized how much time had passed.

Vows, already? I gulped. This was the part I had been most worried about. Edward had insisted that we make up the vows for each other in the heat of the moment. It would have been much more preferable if I could have rehearsed the vows, but I was confident that I would find something to say. Emmet nodded in my direction, signifying that he expected me to begin. I trembled slightly as I started….

"Edward Anthony Cullen," He smiled. "I love you with every fiber of my being. I never want to live a fay of my life without you. I want to be your wife more than anything . I want to belong to you and only you for all of eternity." I put a special stress on the word 'eternity'. "Do you take me to be your wife?" I finished.

The crowd emitted a small sigh and I exhaled, not realizing that I had been holding my breath. Edward closed his eyes and put on my favorite half-smile.

"I do." His voice was as smooth as glass.

"Isabella Marie Swan," He opened his eyes. "I promise to love you for every minute of forever. And even long after both of our hearts are silent and un-beating, I will still love you." I caught the serious flicker in his eye as he made a subtle reference to our future. "I promise to stay by your side in every moment of sickness and health, in pain and suffering, I will always be there, and I will _never_ leave you. You are my life, my world, and my purpose. I will take care of you and protect you every minute of every day." His voice caught and he faltered. He gave Emmet a quick glance and he jumped in.

"Do you, Bella, take Edward to be your lawful wedded husband?"

This was it. The moment that would begin the rest of my life. I was ready.

"I do."

Edwards joy was unmistakable. He had swept me up into his arms and secured my face to his in the sweetest kiss of all time before Emmet had even finished - "You may kiss the bride." The crowd emitted another soft sigh and applauded generously. Edward set me back on the ground and hugged me tightly. We linked hands and he led me back down the silken path. The first steps we would take as husband and wife. Alice called out from the chattering crowd behind us.

"Don't be too long Edward!"

I was confused. Wasn't the reception supposed to start now?

"Edward?" I hinted. His only response was a very large grin. I gave in and just let him lead me where he wanted. The location didn't matter, just as long as I was with him, I was content. I walked with him around the house and towards the sound of the river. A beautiful wooden swing had been set up for the occasion. He sat down noiselessly and pulled me into his lap. His arms tightened around me.

"I just wanted some time alone with you before I'm forced to share you with our guests." he spoke into my hair.

It was reason enough for me. I took advantage of the privacy and pressed my lips to his.

"Thank you for talking to Renee."

He smiled. "She was the one who sought me out for the chat." He admitted. "It didn't take me long to secure her blessing. Charlie had already talked to her."

"Thank you for talking to Charlie." I edited.

"Your welcome."

He stared into my eyes for the longest moment before whispering "I love you Isabella Cullen."

I blushed, surprised at the enjoyment it gave me to hear his last name connected to my first name. I suddenly felt like a young school girl writing in a journal. I briefly imagined a page full of scribbled words- Mrs. Edward Cullen, Bella Cullen, Isabella Cullen.

"I love you too, Edward."

He rocked back and forth and held me for as long as he could get away with.

"Alice is calling for us." He sighed. "The guests are asking about us."

He pacified my efforts to stand properly in my wedding dress by standing with me still tightly secured in his arms and standing me upright himself. He took my hand and walked at my pace back towards the house. Jasper was not focusing on me anymore, but I was no longer nervous. The house full of guests held no fear for me. Edward would be there, next to me. I could face anything.


	6. Reception

Title: Reception

Rating: M

Characters: All, pretty much.

Summary: After the wedding comes the reception. Involving a very jealous and stupid Jacob, mild violence, and then…… bum bum bummmmmmm the WEDDING NIGHT!

gasp Oh, the scandal. J

Author: meggers102290

Disclaimer: Of course, all characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I can just play with them a little ;)

The night slipped by slowly. Alice had done a great job at providing entertainment and food, the problem was - the guests didn't want to leave.

Renee, who was practiced at human weddings -as she had had two of her own- insisted on many of the common traditions. As soon as Edward and I returned to the party, I had to do my job and mingle. Edward introduced me to the Denali clan, including the very angry and jealous looking Tanya, who looked like she would rather break my hand off than shake it. After that, I floated around with Edward never leaving my side, socializing with my friends from school who were all busy eating and talking amongst themselves until Renee forced us to open the dance floor with the first dance. Neither Edward or I were opposed to it. Even with everyone's eyes on us, it was still a private moment. Alice, of course, arranged for us to dance to my lullaby. As Edward spun me carefully around the dance floor, I listened to the beautiful melody and imagined his marble fingers flowing gracefully across the ivory keys. Edward placed his head closer to mine and begun to sing words to the music that I had never heard before. I made a mental note to ask him about it later. Our song slowed and transformed into a different one as Alice and Jasper joined us on the dance floor. They were closely followed by Esme and Carlisle and then Rosalie and Emmet. I'm not sure how any mortal-being could be brave enough to step out onto that dance floor with those seven perfect images of grace and beauty, but they did. First, Renee and Phil, then Angela and Ben, then Jessica and Mike, followed by some of the Denali clan. As the dance floor filled up, I began to wonder about Charlie. I scanned the crowd until I found him standing next to Billy and Jacob.

Jacob.

He was so sullen and quiet. Edward followed my gaze.

"He wants to talk to you before he leaves."

I gulped. The music changed to an upbeat song.

"Go." Edward pushed me towards Jacob. "It'll be fine."

I nodded. "Tanya looks like she wants a word with you anyways."

"Yes," he agreed. "She has practically been screaming at me all night."

He bent forward and molded his lips to mine for a brief moment before we hesitantly went our separate ways to conquer the ghosts of our past.

I walked slowly over to Charlie, Billy and Jacob. Jacob was still staring intently at the ground.

"Bella!" My dad grinned and embraced me. "Congratulations honey." He seemed very enthusiastic.

"Thanks." I smiled. "Stick around dad, I'm going to need you for the father-daughter dance." He beamed.

At the sound of my voice, Jacob's head snapped up. I met his eyes cautiously.

"Hey Jake, glad you could make it." I stepped forward to hug him. He was very stiff and emotionless as soon as he touched me. I could feel the despair in his body language. I pretended not to notice. I chatted idly with chattered for a few minutes until some of Charlie's fellow cops came over and Charlie began talking to them.

"Hey Jake," I started. "do you want to take a walk with me?"

He nodded, and walked with me to the door. We walked in silence for a very long time until he finally broke the silence.

"Oh, um….congratulations, I guess." He was very unenthusiastic.

"It would mean more if you meant it." I muttered.

He fell silent.

"Jake," I stopped walking. "If this was going to be so hard for you, why did you come?"

He bit his lip, obviously ashamed of himself.

I waited.

"Because….." He trailed off. "Because I thought that maybe if you saw me.."

"I wouldn't marry Edward." I finished.

He looked at the ground again.

I became frustrated with his stupidity. I was done feeling sorry for him, he had brought this upon himself.

"Jacob," I let the frustration slip into my voice. "Will you please face reality for one minute!? I am in love with Edward. Yes, I love you too. But its more of a brother-sister love. Its nothing comparable to the love that I feel for Edward, and you need to accept that." As I spoke, his face contorted into many different emotions. "You can not keep holding on to the idea that I am going to come back to you because I am married now, Jake I am married. I belong to Edward and I don't want it any other way, and -"

He cut me off in the rudest way he could have. Somehow, his idiotic brain had misinterpreted the anger in my voice as some other emotion. In a second, his hand was behind my head pushing it towards his own. I twisted and squirmed, trying to desperately break the kiss, but to no avail. I fumed and set my lips together tightly. When he finally released me, I instinctively pulled back my hand and curled it into a tight fist. Just as I was ready to release it, a cold hand caught my wrist from behind.

"No, Bella." Edwards controlled voice instructed. "You'll hurt yourself."

I was not angry that Edward had been watching. I felt suddenly smug as Jacob's face contorted, trying to conceal his obvious terror. Edward remained entirely calm as he stepped in front of me.

"I think you should leave now, Jacob." Edward growled.

"You invited me." Jacob shot back.

"Correct." Edward smiled, "But in case my verbal dismissal wasn't enough, I would be happy to convey my message physically as well."

Jacob gave me a pleading glance.

I laughed aloud. "Jacob, do you really think that I am going to help you!? He is fully entitled to break your jaw for me right now, as per previous agreement."

"No." He corrected smugly, "that was only if you didn't want me to kiss you."

I almost punched him again, but Edward held me back.

"Under what alternative reality would I have wanted you to kiss me on my wedding night!?" I spat.

He looked hurt. I couldn't imagine why he would think that I would have been okay with this.

"Just go." I groaned.

"Bella, don't do this." He pleaded with his eyes.

"Go, Jacob." I repeated.

"Don't let him steal your life from you."

Edward and I both froze.

"That's what this is about?" I gasped.

"That's none of your business!" Edward growled.

"What about Charlie, Bella?" Jacob ignored Edward. " How am I supposed to explain to your father that the reason for your unexplained disappearance is because your husband, the bloodsucker, bit you." My jaw dropped.

"You're NOT!" I yelled. "Charlie isn't going to know anything!"

"He will. If it keeps you from doing this, I will go tell him right now." Jacob was completely serious.

A short sob escaped me as Edward's fist flew forward and met Jacob's jaw with a thunderous crack.

He yelped and clutched his face in shock.

"Edward…" I scolded lightly.

"Don't worry, love, He'll be over it in a minute."

Sure enough, Jacob's convenient quick healing process set to work and regrettably, he opened his fully functional mouth a moment later to speak. Edward cut him off.

"If you ever threaten my wife again…"

Not wanting him to fight fire with fire, I stepped in.

"Jacob, if you tell Charlie, it will not change anything. I have made my decision and nothing in this world can make me change it. So, telling Charlie will just hurt him worse and put him in unnecessary danger. Leave, Jacob. Just go. Now, before I hate you even more." I held back tears.

His body rippled violently with anger as tortured howl tore trough him. He turned quickly and started running for the woods. He didn't stop.

I began to sob openly. Edward took me in his arms and wiped the tears away with his icy cold finger before the water could ruin my makeup.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. Thank you for punching him for me." I sniffled.

"Thank you for what you said to him." He countered.

"I only told the truth."

"I know," He smiled. "I like the truth."

"Jacob didn't." I sighed. "Come on, we have guests to entertain."

He laughed. "Alice could entertain them all night."

"Lets not give her the chance."

We reentered the house to find I very serious looking Billy. He had somehow knew that we had just sent away his ride home.

"What happened?" Billy scowled.

Charlie simply stood there, looking very confused.

"Your son kissed me." I glared.

Charlie's face fell. "Stupid boy."

Billy just laughed.

"Honestly, its not funny." Edward shot Billy a dark glance.

A light voice cut through the conflict. "There you guys are!" Alice sang. "It's time for the father-daughter dance."

I was relieved to escape the drama. I grabbed Charlie's outstretched hand and walked with him through the parting crowd.

Dancing with Charlie was not nearly as easy as dancing with Edward. My feet actually had to be on the ground, for starters. And dancing with Charlie was also not as pain-free. He stepped on my toes multiple time, making it no secret where I got my lack of coordination from. I ignored the poor dancing techniques and rested my head on his shoulder, knowing that this would be one of the last father-daughter moments I would ever have with him. It was a bittersweet realization. He kissed my forehead in a very fatherly gesture.

"I'm proud of you, Bella."

"Thanks, dad."

"I know your all grown up now and all…..but don't be afraid to visit your old man after you take off on your new life."

That hit home.

I bit my lip. "Sure dad, I'll keep in touch." I promised. I could still call him and write to him without putting him in any real danger, right? It sounded promising enough for me.

The song came to an end, and I kissed Charlie on the cheek quickly. He smiled and handed me back over to my husband as the next slow song began to play. That was more like it. We twirled and spun without my feet barely even touching the ground.

"Alice said you were confused about the suitcase." He whispered in my ear.

"I was…. I mean, I am." I raised my eyebrows.

He frowned. "Bella, have you really not figured it out?"

I chuckled. "You know I suck at acting. I couldn't pretend to be this confused even if my life depended on it." He knew I was right.

"Did you think you were going to get out of this without a honeymoon?"

I had not thought of that. My jaw dropped slightly. "Honeymoon?" I groaned. "Where to?"

"That," He chuckled. "Is a surprise."

"Damnit." I responded.

The rest of the evening flew by in a blur. It was very late before the crowd started dispersing. I hugged everyone and knew that I would likely never see them again. The hardest goodbyes were Renee and Charlie. I promised to write and call and hoped that they wouldn't be too upset when I cut off communication completely. They would be fine, I kept assuring myself.

When everyone was gone, I helped Alice clean up a little bit. She was so fast, that I didn't really get the chance to do much assisting. It only took about a half of an hour for this family to accomplish what would have taken a normal family days. Normal was so overrated, I decided.

Esme and Carlisle were the first to approach me. I realized that after the wedding, I hadn't really gotten the chance to hug everyone. I hugged them now.

"Welcome to the family." Esme gushed. Her happiness was unmistakable.

"Thank you so much, for everything, both of you."

Esme brushed a stray hair out of my face, "Not a problem, sweetheart."

Rosalie fell in line and hugged me next. She only spared a brief congratulations and a quick kiss on the cheek. With the date of my change drawing so near, it was no secret why she was so evasive of me.

Emmet approached me and took the proper precautions not to crush me as he swept me into a huge hug.. "Hey there, little sis." He teased. "How does it feel to have a big brother as awesome as me?!"

I giggled.

Alice and Jasper were next. I hugged Alice first, and then looked hesitantly at Jasper who opened his arms to embrace me willingly. It was harder for Jasper to resist the smell of my blood like the others. He was not as practiced, yet. I appreciated the effort, on his part.

"Thank you guys, so much." I said gratefully. "You guys don't know how much this has meant to me."

"Yes I do." Alice smiled. "I told you a big wedding would be better."

I hugged her again. "I know. Thank you Alice."

"Anytime Bella. You know that I love you. You were my sister long before this night." I teared up again.

Edward grabbed my waist from behind and kissed my neck. The family exchanged knowledgeable glances and all bid us a hasty goodnight.

"Shall I carry you across the threshold?" Edward jested.

I nodded cooperatively.

"No, I'll do you one better." He swept me into his arms. "I'll even carry you up the stairs."

Even though Edward contained the full ability to have made it to the bed in 5 seconds flat, he took his time. Stepping deliberately on each stair on the way up. He stared at me, smiling. I returned his gaze. We entered the room and he set me carefully on the edge of the bed. He knelt down in front of me as if he was going to propose again. My heart jumped into my throat at the memory. Instead, he lifted the hem of my dress and removed my shoes. He sat next to me and removed his own shoes, next, setting them carefully next to mine. How very like a married couple, I thought.

We sat in silence for a few moments. I turned my head and surveyed his features. He looked up at me and grinned.

"No, Bella." He misinterpreted my gaze, " I have not forgotten your end of the deal."

He decidedly moved his hands to my face and captured my lips beneath his own. I was not expecting this, but I was also not offering any objection. I succumbed to his sweet breath and we leaned back onto the bed. He eased himself on top of me and continued our kiss in adventurous ways that had never been attempted before. A moment later he flipped on his back and pulled me on top of him. His hands roamed my back as his tongue roamed my mouth. He found the string that laced up the back of my dress and he pulled it out of its secure double not with one swift movement. He held the kiss and continued to unlace the dress at the same time. I marveled at his impressive double tasking and attempted to display a little of my own talent. I reached down and fumbled with the buttons on his white tux shirt. I was done with them before he was done with my lace. I slid inside of his shirt and felt his marble chest flexing beneath my shaking, clammy hands. He finally finished the lace and hesitantly paused our kiss. He peeled the dress of me slowly. I suddenly understood why he looked so scared. This was the one area in which we both had equal and limited expertise. I was down to my underwear and bra, I decided it only fair for him to shed clothing before I shed anymore. I undid his bow tie with hasty and shaky hands and tossed it aside. I slid his shirt and jacket off of his shoulders and threw them in the same direction. I froze, realizing that this was as far as we had ever gotten before. I shook my thoughts back into order and pressed my half naked body down on top of his ice cold chest. I should have been shivering with cold, but I was sensationally warm. It only took me a moment to realize where most of the heat was generating. I blushed, feeling my body getting carried away. Edwards hands roamed my back freely as I resumed our kiss. I felt his icy hands pause briefly on my bra clasp. He hesitated, and released it with one slight thumb gesture. I felt it loosen and slide down my arms. His eyes were shut tight as he continued to kiss me. He obviously wasn't ready to open them yet, I helped motivate him. I slipped my arms out of the bra straps and flung it in a random direction across the room before pressing my bare chest against his. The heat and the cold fought against each other in an epic battle of temperature control. His hands were still frozen on my lower back. I linked my fingers behind his head and rolled him over on top of me. His hips fell directly on top of my own and I felt an unfamiliar prodding that had never been present before. I was better at this than I gave myself credit for. I waited for him to make the next move. Until he did, I would just keep kissing him and running my hands through his hair and up and down his back. I was ready, the rest was up to him.

I knew this was scarier for him than it was for me. He could easily get carried away and lose control of his strength. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt me, and as afraid as I knew I should be, I still wasn't. Until he was ready, I would be patient and take what I was given. He seemed to sense that I wasn't going to make the next move. His hand traveled down to the zipper on his pants. I heard them unzip and I felt his hips give beneath me slightly. When they resumed their position, the prodding sensation had grown much more powerful. I could sense his urgency in the way he was moving his tongue rapidly around my mouth and even occasionally inside of it. He pulled away from our kiss and closed his eyes for a moment. Regaining control, I could tell. When his eyes closed, they were a dark onyx. When they reopened they had been replaced with a bright shade of honey.

"Are you sure about this?" I edged. I didn't want him to feel pressured.

"We can keep going if you want," He offered. "I just don't want to have to stop at an inconvenient moment."

I smiled. "I'll be forgiving."

With the intention settled, his cold palm slipped beneath the lace of my underwear and instead of slipping them off, I felt the fabric give away under his hands. His strength baffled me once again. The only thing separating us now was the thin fabric of his boxers. My heart beat was erratic, and I realized that Edward was shaking. I positioned myself carefully over the contained lump. Placing my knees on either side of his torso. His hips gave way beneath me again and this time when the resumed their position I gasped. Edward and I had something else in common. The warmest part of my body also happened to be the coldest on his. Our temperate extremities collided and I inhaled deeply. From that point I lost all track of time and control. Edward, however, maintained complete control. I was very impressed with him. He displayed a superior gentleness that proved my lack of fear to be completely relevant. I knew he would never be able to hurt me.

The clock informed me that we had been lost in our own personal bliss for over two hours by the time we finally relaxed. We were both breathing heavily, even though Edward had no reason to breathe at all. Our chests rose and fell in the same time and our hands found each other in the dark room.

"You kept your control very well." I applauded.

"It wasn't as hard as I expected." He breathed

"I'm glad. It was actually better than I predicted." I admitted

"What did you expect? I'm good at everything, remember?"

I laughed and pressed my lips to his once more. An involuntary shiver ran through me as the adrenaline was subsiding. He responded by lifting me off of the bed with one arm and tucking under the blankets. In a split second he was beside me again. Our bodies formed together perfectly, like a puzzle. He tangled his feet with mine and pulled my head against his chest. He inhaled my scent and breathed -

"Isabella Cullen."

I grinned.

"Mrs. Edward Cullen." He continued. "I like it."

"I love it." I agreed.

"I love you." He edited. "Sleep, Bella. Tomorrow is a big day. There are many plans and preparations that need to be made. We need you coherent."

I laughed. "Sleep will come easy enough. I am exhausted."

He smiled my favorite half-smile and kissed my forehead. Tonight, he sang a different song. One that I was familiar with. It was an old Billy Joel song that my mom used to listen to. I was fast asleep before he hit the second verse

"….I promised I would never leave you, and you should always know

Wherever you may go, no matter where you are, I never will be far away

Goodnight my angel now its time to sleep, And still so many things I want to say

And like a boat out on the ocean, I'm rocking you to sleep.

The waters dark and deep inside this ancient heart, you'll always be a part of me."

I vaguely remember him kissing me just before the last two lines.

"Someday we'll all be gone, but lullabies go on and on

that's how you and I will be….."


	7. Loose Ends

Title: Loose Ends

Rating:

Characters: Cullen Family (Now including Bella)

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Summary: Edward and Bella make plans regarding their future together.

Sunlight crept through the glass walls and illuminated Edwards out of character less than spotless bedroom. Articles of clothing were flung everywhere, looking very disproportionate to the neatly arranged shoes. The room shimmered before my eyes. I rolled over to stare into the beautiful face of the human disco ball beside me. Sunlight bounced off of his unclothed skin and lingered like diamonds in the surrounding atmosphere.

"Good Morning, beautiful." He grinned.

"mmmm.." I sighed as I threw my arm over his chest and rested my head on his shoulder, not yet willing to surrender our first night as husband and wife.

"Mrs. Edward Cullen." I exhaled.

His arms tightened around me in response.

We laid in silence for what seemed like an eternity. His patience with my laziness caused me to feel slightly guilty. I reached up to touch his dace. I ran my hands through his hair and outlined his cheek bones.

"I'm sorry." I apologized, "We can get up if you want to."

"No." His arms grew tighter around me yet. "Soon enough there will be no reason for us to even lay down anymore….. I mean……after…" He stopped.

"What's the plan?" I coaxed.

He hesitated, trying to decipher what I meant.

"With the….honeymoon, and after…..the change and, er….." I stammered.

"Well, the decisions are entirely up to you." He began, "Depending on how your priorities lay. Now, Esme has already purchased a new home near Denali. After we change you, we obviously can't stay here any more due to the issue of the treaty."

I nodded to signify my understanding.

He paused, deep in thought for a moment.

"Bella, are you comfortable here?"

I wondered what 'here' he was referring to. There were many interpretations of the word.. Here in Forks, here in his arms, here in his house, here in his bed. I nodded my head, realizing that the answer to all of the possible meanings of the word statement were the same.

He continued. "Would you rather the change occurred here, or at out new home?" He asked.

I looked at the wall thoughtfully. "Here." I responded honestly. "But there are two reasons why that can't happen." He gestured with his hand that I should go on. " Well, first, the treaty forbids it, and I don't want to put the family in danger. Second, I don't know how out of control I will become after the change, and I don't want to endanger any one here in Forks." I bit my lip.

He examined my reasons for a brief moment before speaking again.

"Bella, can I lay out a possible schedule for you and trust that you will think of only yourself when you either deny or accept? "

"I guess so." I submitted.

"Alright, Alice and I have been talking about this, and we predicted that the most preferable condition for you would be in this house, by my venom." He cringed at the word. " Is that correct?"

"Yes…but-"

"No," He interrupted. "Bella, I have this figured out. Just give me a minute to explain." I fell silent and allowed him to continue. "When you are ready for the change, you would have to first speak to Charlie and tell him that we were going on our honeymoon and then immediately moving to Denali so you could be closer to college. Tell him goodbye, and make sure that Jacob somehow hears our plan. Then, instead of leaving on our honeymoon, I can change you here and give you three days to recuperate and then move you to Denali with us as soon as you were well enough."

He stopped, surveying my expressions to judge my response.

"But," I felt myself frown. "I thought you wanted an actual honeymoon."

"Bella, this is not about what I want, remember? We have the rest of eternity to go on as many honeymoons as we want. This needs to be the way _you_ want it. We only have one chance to get this right. You are sacrificing so much for me Bella, and if you are still insistent upon it, I am going to do everything in my power to make it as easy and convenient for you as possible."

I chewed on my lip as I considered his words.

"Bella," He started, "what do you want?"

"I want you, Edward."

"You have me."

"No, Edward, I want you for forever."

"So your saying that you're ready now?" He seemed surprised.

"Yes." The word came out as an unintentional whisper. "I am your wife. With that wish fulfilled, all I want is to be less breakable…..and - more time"

"We can wait as long as you wa-""No, that's not what I meant." I cut him off. "I meant I want more time with you, and I don't want to get any older."

He nodded. The realization that I was ready now set an uncharacteristic layer of fear over his face. He composed himself quickly and exhaled a short laugh.

"It's ironic, isn't it? You're the one giving up your humanity forever, and I'm the one who is terrified about it."

"I'll be able to handle it." I assured him.

"Its not you that I am worried about." He mumbled almost inaudibly.

"Don't worry," I brushed my fingers across his lips. "I trust you."

"That's the problem." He grimaced, "You trust the monster in me far too much for your own good."

"Edward, if I honestly thought that you were a monster, do you think I would be choosing this?"

"Yes." He replied curtly. He was right.

I frowned. "Edward, you're not a monster."

"Maybe not now," he allowed. "but once I taste your blood, Bella, you have no idea what I could turn into. Bella……what if I kill you?" His face contorted from the terrifying images he was no doubt imagining.

"You wont kill me." I pulled his chin up until he met my gaze. "You stopped once before, remember?"

"But Carlisle was right there, waiting to stop me if I got carried away." He gulped back a fresh wave of fear. "And besides, I don't even know how I was able to stop the first time. You can't trust that the self control will magically reappear."

"You're stronger than you think." I brushed a stray lock of golden hair out of his face. "And besides, we can have Carlisle on stand-by again. Plus, Alice can warn us if she sees something going wrong." I pointed out.

"Bella, your life is far too important to me to trust an imperfect vision of the future." He groaned. "I don't know what I would do if…I mean, I would…… Bella, I would _die_ if I lost you. Especially if I am the one to blame! This scares me, Bella. You don't realize how much." He struggled to compose himself, but the fear that twisted his face was excruciating. I suddenly felt a pang of guilt at my selfishness.

"Edward, you don't have to be so brave. Carlisle can do it. I'm fine with that. He said he wouldn't have a problem-"

"No." There was no compromise in his voice. "This needs to be the way you want it. I can do it. I have to do it."

"You don't _have_ to do anything." I assured him

"No, Bella." His eyes were full of concern. "My condition was marriage and you followed through on your part of the deal. I can't, now, deny you your stipulation. You said you wanted me to do it, and so I will."

"You already followed through on something last night." I reminded him.

"That doesn't count. I wanted that just as badly as you did."

"Well then, by that token, the wedding doesn't count as me following through on any deal either. I wanted that as badly as you did too."

He shook his head in disbelief at my stubborn tendencies. "Bella, I will do it. I will change you. Whenever you are ready. I will do it." I knew it was the last word.

We lay tangled in each other's arms silently for a while. I was lost in my thoughts and Edwards glassy voice brought be back to reality.

"What are you thinking about?" The concern was apparent in his voice.

"Do you think Jacob will really tell Charlie?"

Edwards entire body responded by stiffening completely.

"So help me, Bella, if he does….." His voice broke. "How dare he threaten you like that.."

"Shhh, I know." I immediately regretted bringing it up as I attempted to calm him down.

"Speak of the mutt," Edward suddenly sounded furious. "guess who is watching us through the window." He spat.

"No!…… He wouldn't!" I gasped.

"I don't understand how he could be so damned thick headed." Edward growled. "He is waiting to see if we are wearing clothes or not."

I had a mixture of different reactions. Anger and resentment were the most powerful. I wanted nothing more than to walk outside and give Jacob the cruelest piece of my mind that I could possibly muster. But I didn't. Instead, I scrolled through the options in my mind, searching for the one that would be most efficient in teaching him a lesson without direct contact. Here he is, a peeping tom, invading a newlywed couples first morning together…. He couldn't possibly be expected to get away with this unscathed.

Edward moved to get out of bed, presumably to pull the wall length curtains, but I stopped him. I sat up in bed with my bare back to the window and placed my hands around Edward's shoulders. I kissed his neck once, twice, and then pulled him back beneath the covers.

Jacob would get what was coming to him.

Edward didn't take long to catch on. He chuckled at my mischievousness.

"Bad, bad girl, Bella." He scolded playfully.

I smiled. "It serves him right."

Edward cooperatively rolled over on top of me and allowed me to weave my fingers through his hair and pull his face closer to my own. He kissed me as enthusiastically as ever and with such desire that when he finally allowed me to breath, I exhaled a cloud of cold vapors. He chuckled in amusement.

"This was definitely a good way to teach him a lesson. I have never heard so many creative cuss words in one sentence before."

I smiled, allowing myself to bask for a moment in the glory of my achievement.

"This will really get him going." Edward whispered as his lips moved hungrily to my throat and began kissing a straight line all the way to my belly. I arched my back and moaned lightly, over exaggerating the movement for Jacob's sake. Edwards hand rested on my hips and his head reappeared above my own.

"Our audience has left. Our show was too much for him."

"I don't care." I breathed as I pressed my lips to his again. "It was just a good excuse to get you to kiss me." I winked.

"Silly Bella, all you have to do is ask." He kissed my forehead and then my jaw line. "Alice is considering making you breakfast in bed." He spoke against my throat. "We should probably get down there before she sets her mind to it. Her cooking is one experience that you don't need"

I giggled. "I need to shower first."

"Me too." He grinned.


	8. Goodbye

Title: Goodbye

Rating: PG-13 due to language

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They're all Stephenie Meyers'.

Summary: In preparation for the big change, Bella says goodbye.

The next few days were full of preparations and planning. Before I knew it, it had been four nights since the wedding. Tonight was the scheduled time for me to begin my "decent into eternal damnation" as Edward has so uncooperatively titled it. My rusty pick-up truck grumbled along the road with Edward's shiny Volvo sliding along gracefully in my rearview mirror. We had decided it best to leave my truck with Charlie, seeing as it would likely not make it to Denali in one piece.

I ran over the story one more time in my head as we drew closer and closer to Charlie's house. He must have been expecting this, since he was under the impression that I would be attending college in Alaska. My truck screeched to a halt in front of the ordinary Swan residence that I no longer called home. Edward was beside my door, letting me out before my key was even out of the ignition.

"I'll be right out here waiting." He assured me. He was very understanding of the fact that I needed to do this alone, for the most part, that is.

I nodded and shakily stepped out of the truck. This is the last time I would see my father. As ready as I was to make the change, giving up Charlie, Renee, and even Jacob were the hardest parts of the decision. I stepped on to the porch and suddenly realized that I didn't know whether to knock or just enter. I hesitated for a moment and then just let myself in. I knew Charlie wouldn't mind, but I still felt like an unannounced visitor.

"Charlie?" I called out.

"Bella!" His voice came from the kitchen. He was eating a TV dinner when I walked in. I suddenly felt very guilty for not teaching him how to cook.

"Hey dad, I just came by to-"

"Say goodbye?" He finished for me.

"Yeah, but….how did you-"

"Jacob warned me that you would be leaving soon." I froze. " He told me that he had something for me to give you, but he never made it over here to actually give it to me. Billy says he has been shut up in his room all week."

"Did Jacob tell you why I was leaving?" I edged.

"Well the reason is rather obvious." He explained. "You can't really stay here when your college is in another state."

I exhaled in relief.

"Yeah, we have a house in Denali, which is only a ten minute drive from campus. Which reminds me," I handed him the keys in my hand. "The truck wont be able to make it to Denali, I think I'm going to have to leave it here." He nodded and accepted the keys from my outstretched hand.

"Is Carlisle helping Edward and you pay for the house?" He questioned. I opened my mouth to speak but he stopped me with another question. "Are you guys going to be visiting your families on the weekends at all, or are you more focused on starting one of your own?"

"Oh…" Crap. I was hoping to avoid this part of the conversation. "Well…see, Esme bought the house and Carlisle got a job up there…so we are all kinda moving together."

"Oh, so you wont really be coming back here that often." His voice cracked with the pain that he was trying so desperately to hide.

"No, not really." I winced. "And, Edward and I will probably not have kids. I am not so fond of the idea." I lied. The truth of the matter was, Edward was close to 100 years old, his sperm was no longer fertile. Plus, it had taken on the consistency of a frozen slushy.

Charlie struggled to conceal his disappointment.

"When you guys leaving?" He mumbled.

"Well, we're leaving on our honeymoon today." I blushed at the words. "and then, we're just not coming back. The rest of the family will be moving in while we're gone."

"So I guess that makes this goodbye then." Charlie concluded.

"Yes." I felt the tears prickling at my eyes.

He cleared his throat and tried to make some more conversation.

"So, uh, where are you guys going on yer honeymoon?" He pushed his food aside and stood up.

"I don't know." I thought quickly. "Its supposed to be a surprise."

He nodded and we stood in silence for a moment.

"Well," his voice cracked. "I guess you probably have to get going then.." The pain in his voice was obvious. It was even worse considering that he was still under the impression that he would see me again, whereas I knew that this was the last time I would ever see my father. Tears streamed quietly down my face as I threw my arms around his neck. Charlie was never one for displaying emotion, but he hugged me back fiercely and emitted a half-concealed sob.

"I always knew this day would come, Bells, I just never imagined it would come so soon."

"I know dad, I'm sorry." I grimaced.

"No, Bella, don't be sorry. I couldn't have wished for you to be any better off. I know you will have a great life now, even considering the poor excuse I've been for a parent."

"Charlie Swan," I scolded. "You have been a great father. I couldn't have asked for a better parent."

"Thanks Bells. You've been a pretty enjoyable daughter yourself." I knew that I needed to strop this heart felt nonsense. It as only making things harder. Charlie seemed to sense my thoughts.

"Alright, Bella. Edward is waiting for you I see, you have to get going."

I threw a glance out the window. Edward stepped out of the Volvo and began trekking up the path. "Edward's going to say goodbye too."

He nodded his approval.

"Edward!" Charlie acknowledged as he entered. "Glad you came in."

"Sir." Edward addressed him as he grasped his hand firmly. "Ready to go?" He turned to me.

With tears still in my eyes, I nodded.

"Bye dad." I hugged him again.

"Goodbye, Bells." He turned to Edward. "Take good care of her."

"I will, Charlie. You have my word."

Charlie let one small tear escape his composed persona as he turned back to me one final time.

"I love you Bella."

"I love you too dad." I choked.

And with that, I turned and walked away with Edward at my side. The moment I was in the Volvo, the tears flowed freely. I watched Charlie stare out the window and hoped that he wouldn't be too hurt when I never returned. A couple of miles down the road, I noticed that my body was shaking with sobs. A fact that Edward hadn't failed to notice either. He slowed to car down and pulled over to the side of the road. In one too graceful movement, Edward pulled himself into the backseat and then pulled me from the passenger seat to his lap. He held me closely and stroked my hair as my tears dampened his t-shirt.

"Bella, you don't have to do this." He comforted me.

"Yes Edward, I do. I've made up my mind. The hardest part is over." I assured him.

"No. Its not." He disagreed.

"Edward, the three days of suffering is not going to be that ba-"

"Not that." He interrupted. "I meant Jacob."

"No." I dismissed the idea immediately. "I don't want to say goodbye to him."

"Bella, yes you do, even if you don't think so now, you will later - when it's too late. I won't let you go into this with any possible regrets if I can help it."

I shook my head in disbelief. Edward was actually suggesting that I give the boy who had enough nerve to kiss me at our wedding, blackmail me with one of the worst threats possible, and then spy on us the next morning a second thought!?

"No, Edward." I repeated. " I don't want to see Jacob. Not after he-"

"He didn't tell Charlie."

"But that doesn't change the other asinine things he did."

"Bella, the kid is in love with you. Give him a break, I would have done the same thing if the situation were reversed."

I knew I was going to lose this argument.

"Do you want me to drive you there?"

I shot him a dark glance.

"Alright," He edited. "you can take the Volvo, and I'll meet you at home."

It took me a moment to realize that he was completely serious.

"You're not going to give this up, are you?" I groaned.

"Nope."

"You can't know for sure if I actually talk to him." I muttered rebelliously under my breath,

He laughed out loud. "Bella, sweetheart, you know you can't lie worth a damn."

I scowled. He was right again. He lifted my chin with his fingertips and met my lips with his. "I win." He grinned.

"Yeah, yeah." I punched him lightly in the shoulder. The lack of force behind the gesture was more for my sake than his.

My emotions calmed as he continued to stroke my hair.

I sighed.

"Are you ready to get this over with?" He urged.

"You're awful." I accused.

"No regrets." He reminded me.

I glared at him for a moment before giving in.

"Fine." I muttered. "But I'm only going to say goodbye and then thank him for not telling Charlie."

"That's all I am asking you to do." He encouraged, "But Bella, promise me something."

"Sure."

"Don't punch him."

"I can't promise that, so I guess I just wont go." I replied slyly.

"Bella." He looked into my eyes with fierce contact.

"UGH! Fine. I'll go talk to him and I wont punch his sorry ass no matter how much he deserves it."

"Good." He kissed my forehead. "I'll see you when you get home." With that, he gracefully deposited me in the front seat and in a moment he was gone.

My angry expression was useless in his absence. I started the Volvo in defeat. It was strange to drive anything other than the truck. The Volvo smoothly glided out onto the road and took off in the direction of La Push. I focused my thoughts on calming my anger and holding back my tears so that I didn't look like a pansy in front of any more people than I already had today. All too quickly, I drove into Jacob's driveway. I hesitated a moment before I stepped out onto the pavement.

Billy answered the door cautiously and when he was certain that the Volvo's only passenger was me, he let me in.

Without returning my greeting, Billy yelled out- "Jacob!! Get out here, you got company!"

No response. Billy shot me an accusatory glare.

"He probably wont come out. He hasn't spoken to anyone in four days."

I was about to open my mouth in defense when I was cut off by the sudden explosion from the door behind me.

"Where is he!?" I recognized Embry's voice immediately. "If he doesn't stop thinking about those two in bed together, I swear I'm going to…." He stopped short when his eyes fell on me.

"Bella." His eyes narrowed as he spoke my name.

I comprehended the situation carefully. Apparently, Jacob had been thinking a lot about what he had witnessed when he spied on us four days ago. I felt bad suddenly, realizing that - as their thoughts were connected, all of his brother werewolves were being subjected to the memory also.

Embry tensed suddenly, he looked like he was ready to hit me. I winced reflexively.

Billy, sensing the tension, stepped in. "He is in his room, Bella." He directed. "Go ahead."

I hesitated a moment to shoot Embry a pleading glance. He just glared at me in disgust. I dismissed myself and picked my way through the familiar house to his room.

I knocked once, twice, no response. I cautiously let myself in to the room. His room was a mess. Crumpled paper and clothes were strewn everywhere. He was asleep on the bed, or so it appeared. He could be a better actor than me, I realized. I picked up a crumpled piece of paper to throw at his head and was about to do so when I noticed my name written sloppily on the inside of it.

Suddenly curious, I opened the piece of paper and read the scrawled words inside of it.

BELLA,

I AM SO SORRY THAT I HAVE BEEN SUCH AN ASS, I

I frowned and picked up another one.

BELLA,

PLEASE DON'T DO THIS. I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH TO LOSE YOU LIKE THIS

I KNOW THAT MY FEELINGS DON'T MEAN MUCH TO YOU, BELLA, BUT

DON'T LET HIM DO THIS TO YOU…. PICK ME

Intrigued, I chose another off of the ground.

BELLA,

I AM SO SORRY THAT I RUINED YOUR WEDDING. IT WAS RUDE AND SELFISH

OF ME. I JUST CAN'T BEAR TO LOSE YOU LIKE THIS. DON'T YOU EVER WONDER

WHAT-IF? ITS NOT TOO LATE TO FIND OUT BELLA, BUT IF YOU GO THROUGH

WITH THIS

"The actual letter is right there." His calm voice startled me. I jerked my head up and found him sitting on his bed pointing to a neatly folded letter on his night stand. I picked my way carefully through the graveyard of crumpled papers and sat next to him. I hesitantly looked between him and the square of paper.

"Go ahead." He permitted. I picked up the letter and rotated it in my hands a few times before starting.

"Jake-"

"Just read it, Bella."

I studied his perfectly composed face for a moment before awkwardly fumbling around with the simple folds. This letter was much longer than the other ones.

BELLA,

YOU WILL PROBABLY NEVER COME BACK HERE TO SEE ME AFTER ALL

OF THE CRAP I HAVE SUBJECTED YOU TO LATELY. I'M SORRY FOR THAT.

I REALIZE THAT I WAS OUT OF LINE AT YOUR WEDDING AND I APOLOGIZE.

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THOUGH, BELLA, I ONLY DID THOSE THINGS

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU.. I KNOW THAT YOU DON'T FEEL THE SAME WAY, OR

AT LEAST, YOU CLAIM THAT YOU DON'T.

AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE YOU TO NOT ALLOW HIM TO STEAL YOUR

LIFE, I UNDERSTAND WHY HE HAS CONVINCED YOU TO. IF I HAD YOU, I

WOULD WANT TO KEEP YOU FOR FOREVER TOO. I COULDN'T LET THE

WEDDING BE THE LAST MEMORY THAT YOU HAD OF ME, SO I HAD TO AT

LEAST WRITE. I UNDERSTAND IF YOU JUST WANT TO TEAR THIS PAPER UP,

BUT BEFORE YOU DO, I NEED YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU.. I WOULD

ALWAYS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, BUT IF HE CHANGES YOU, I WILL

NEVER BE ABLE TO SAFELY SEE YOU AGAIN. WE WOULD BE ENEMIES THEN,

AND THOSE ARE NOT THE CONDITIONS I EVER WANT TO SEE YOU UNDER.

I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU THOUGH, NO MATTER WHAT YOU BECOME.

ITS NOT TOO LATE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND, BELLA. I'M STILL HERE, AND

AS LONG AS YOUR HEART IS STILL BEATING, I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU.

WITH ALL MY LOVE, JACOB.

I reread it about four times, making sure to soak in every detail before I spoke. I brought up the most important point first.

"Jacob, Edward doesn't want to change me."

The confusion was written clearly all over his face.

"Then….why-"

"This is my decision." I explained. "This is what I want."

"But, why would you want something like that?"

"Alright Jake. I will put this in perspective for you. Lets say that this was some type of alternate reality, and I was in love with you and not Edward." He fought to suppress his grin. "Now, lets say that I was immortal and you were not. Wouldn't you, if there was any way possible, want to become immortal also, so you could stay with me for longer?"

He frowned. "I guess I understand where you are coming from."

I sighed in relief. That was easier than I had expected.

"Aren't you scared?" His voice came out as a whisper.

"Yes." I replied honestly. He looked at me questioningly.

"I'm scared Jake. I'm scared about a lot of things. I'm scared of the pain, I'm scared f losing Charlie, and you. But more than anything, I am scared to lose him again. I'm scared to be without Edward."

Jacob frowned again.

"You know what happened to me the last time I was without him." I reminded him.

"You were a mess." He admitted.

I nodded. "I'm not able to lose him again, Jake. I am not strong enough to handle it. I have to do everything I can to stay with my husband now. He is my life."

"You were a mess." He repeated.

I just nodded again.

"Is that what it will be like….for me, when you leave?"

My stomach dropped. Leaving him seemed so much more cruel when he said it like that. I felt awful.

"Not if you don't let it." I fought tears. "And it is your choice not to see me again." I reminded him.

"No, Bella. I would never chose that. No matter what you become. The reason I can't see you again is in the interest of your own lif…..existence." He corrected himself. "If they bite you, the treaty is broken and I am bound by nature to look at you as an enemy. No matter how much I love you…." He trailed off.

"Yeah." I responded glumly.

"So if your actually going to go through with this," He threw me a pleading glance. "Then I guess this is goodbye."

"Not yet." I waved off the idea. "You're not done apologizing to me. I'm waiting for-"

"I already said I was sorry." He gestured to the letter in my hands.

"No, not for everything." I shot back coldly, "you neglected to apologize for spying on us."

He instantly froze. "How did you-?"

"Jacob, did you honestly forget that my husband can read minds."

"Damnit." He muttered.

I shook my head in disgust.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I was just hoping that if he was unable to perform…."

"JAKE!" I scolded harshly, "Did you HONESTLY think that I would leave him if he couldn't have sex with me?!"

"I wanted to make sure that he didn't kill you in the process too…" He muttered under his breath.

"You're ridiculous." I groaned.

"Well thank you very much for making it very clear that neither of those scenarios occurred." The sarcasm was heavy in his words.

"Really, Jake, you're a glutton for punishment." I scowled. "Why must you be such a masochist?"

He just stared at his feet in response.

"So is that it then?" He finally spoke. "Are you actually going to do this?"

"Yes, Jake. My mind has been made up."

"What if I begged?"

"Oh, please don't. You'll only make a fool of yourself."

"Well then," He stood. "I guess this is it."

I rose with him. Tears filled my eyes as he extended a hand for me to shake.

"Don't be absurd, Jake." I scolded as I flung my arms around his neck. He hugged me back, not opposing to my emotional reaction at all. He buried his head in my shoulder and I swear I heard a few half-hidden sobs.

"No matter what, Jake," I whispered. "You will always be my best friend."

"No matter what, Bella," He countered. "I will always love you."

We embraced each other silently for another moment before he spoke again, suddenly concerned.

"Where will you go?"

Oh! I had almost forgotten to relay the plans to him.

"Edward and I are leaving on our honeymoon tonight, and then we are moving to a new location."

The disbelief was apparent in his eyes, but he allowed it.

"Goodbye then, Bella."

"Should I write?"

"No, Bella, I think it would be best if you didn't." He whispered. Trying, no doubt, to disguise the torment in his voice beneath the silence.

"A clean break." I nodded. "Goodbye, Jacob. I'll miss you." I leaned forward and quickly kissed him on the cheek.

"Goodbye, Bells. I love you…"

The pain in his eyes was almost unbearable. I turned before I could witness anymore of his boiling hot tears and exited. After the door was shut, I whispered. "I love you too Jacob. Just not in the way you want me to."

I felt more tears coming. I dashed out of the house and locked myself securely in the Volvo. I managed to calm my tears until I was a few miles away from Jake. When I began to lose visibility of the road, I pulled over and gave in to my despair.

Edward had been right. I would have regretted not saying goodbye in the long run., even though it was definitely the hardest goodbye of all. I didn't know how long I had been sitting there before I finally restarted the car. I struggled to compose myself as I pulled up the Cullen driveway and into sight of my waiting husband.

He opened the door for me and helped me out. Using his ice-cold thumb, he wiped away the one remaining tear from my eye.

"You okay?" His concern was almost tangible.

I nodded.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

I nodded again.

"You ready?"

"Are you?"

He held out his hand in response. I took it gingerly and allowed him to lead me into the house. Hand-in-hand, we ascended the stairs to our future.


	9. Change

Title: Change

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Bella + Edward + Venom change. TUH DAH. Bout time, right? I know.

"Carlisle and Jasper are in the hallway ready to stop me if something goes wrong." Edward sounded more like he was convincing himself than me.

"Jasper?" I was surprise. Out of all of the family, Jasper was the least resistant to blood.

"He's not coming in." Edward explained. "He is just there to monitor my emotions in case I get carried away."

That made sense.

I was sitting in the middle of his bed with my arms wrapped securely around my knees. He was still standing, staring at me incredulously.

"Bella, you're scared." He interpreted my body language.

"Shutup."

He slid onto the bed with me and wrapped me in his arms. "I don't want you to be scared, Bella."

I turned in his lap so that I was facing him. I wrapped my legs around his torso, and my arms around his neck.

"The only thing I have left to be afraid of is losing you."

"You don't have to go to these extremes to assure that you keep me. I am your husband, I will never leave you, isn't that enou-"

"Edward, look at me!" I insisted. " I'm already unworthy of you as it is. Why on earth would I want to get old and die when-"

He pressed his fingers to my lips to silence me. "Shhhh, Bella, Bella…." He cooed. "You will always be beautiful."

"I want this, Edward. Why aren't you okay with that? Is eternity too long for you to have to deal with me?"

"Bella! Of course I want this! I want this more than anything, but my reasoning is purely selfish. I want to change you so that I never have to live a day without you, not that I intended to anyways, but I want nothing more than to be able to spend eternity with you. But, the small portion of me that is human is concerned about what is best for you."

"You are what's best for me."

He shook his head. "You can't know that if you have never given anything else a chance."

"Yes I can." I argued.

He stared at me for a minute.

"Is this what you want?"

"Yes, Edward. More than anything."

"Okay then, I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn't have any regrets."

"Edward, regrets are unavoidable. If I don't go through with this, I will regret it every day of my life. But if I do, I have already dealt with my regrets and there is no going back. I have chosen my path and faced the consequences for it already."

He could see the resolve and conclusiveness in my eyes. He ran his index finger across my face.

"I love you Isabella Marie Cullen."

I flushed with joy and he chuckled. "I'm going to miss that." He said as he stroked my pink cheeks with his thumb.

Without another word, he pulled me down with him on the bed and rested his head on my chest. A moment later, and he lifted my wrist and pressed it against his nose and inhaled my scent. I let my free hand run through his hair and up and down his back comfortably.

Without warning, his lips pressed to mine. Gently, at first, and then with increasing urgency. The kiss evolved into something much different. The kiss reminded me of when he said goodbye. I pulled away.

"Why are you acting like you are never going to see me again?"

He hesitated, still inches away from my face. When he spoke, his cool breath cascaded across me and sent my head spinning.

"I'm apologizing, not saying goodbye." He breathed against my cheek. "I'm so afraid to hurt you."

"You wont." I promised him.

"I will. All of the pain you will feel for the next three days will be the product of my venom. I feel so selfish right now, even with the assurance that this is what you want. For the next three days, I will suffer with you, but not nearly as much. You are my heart, Bella. You are the only thing alive about me, and the next three days, I will watch it suffer and finally cease to possess a pulse. I will hurt you, and I know it. But as punishment for my selfish deed, I will watch the one thing I love in this world suffer at my expense."

I pulled my arms free of his body and placed my hands on either side of his face.

"Edward, I am not afraid. I will be fine."

I kissed him again. His cold lips melted into mine and his sweet breath filled my senses.

"Wrist, or neck?" He murmured.

"Whatever is easiest for you."

He stiffened and sat up on the bed. "What's easiest for me may be different than what is easiest for you."

"Wrist then, that's where it was last time."

He cringed at the memory.

I sat up and settled myself comfortably in his lap again. He wrapped his fingers around my elbow and let them slowly slide to my wrist. He inhaled the scent once more and smiled.

"I'm going to miss that too,"

"But it will be easier for you when I am not so appetizing." I pointed out.

"Bella, love, you will always be appetizing. But after this, it will not be in a life threatening way."

I nodded.

"I can't hurt you." He whispered again while staring at my wrist.

"Carlisle can do it."

"No."

I felt a strong sense of guilt. Edward was torn. One look at his beautiful, tortured face made that obvious.He wanted so badly to do this, but he was so afraid to lose control. I felt so selfish. I felt like I was forcing him to make the most painful decision in the world.

"Edward, if you don't want -"

"I do, Bella. I will." His eyes suddenly flashed with a fierce determination. "Are you ready?"

I gulped and nodded.

"Carlisle," He spoke louder. "We're ready."

The response that was only audible to Edward seemed to relax him more.

"Carlisle is there."

I nodded again.

"I love you Bella." He whispered against my wrist as his ice-cold teeth settled into position.

"I love you t -" My response was cut short by an irrepressible gasp. The pain in my wrist was surreal. I had no memory of any pain this vivid when I had been bitten my James. I clenched my lip between my teeth to steady myself. I didn't want Edward to see how much pain I was in.

I felt his teeth suddenly withdraw from my arm, vanishing the pain with their absence. His lips were still in place though. I could feel the steady course of my blood leaving my veins. Edward was still taking my blood. I expected he would allow himself to do so, at least a little bit. I didn't know how much he considered to be a little bit, though. And what was more, I didn't know if his idea of a 'little bit' would be fatal to me. I should have felt fear. I should have called out for Carlisle. But all I could feel was an undying love for this beautiful creature sucking the life from my veins. All I could feel was love, and then, sick. The scent of the blood was too much for me. I craned my neck, trying desperately to get as far away from the blood as I possibly could.

Edward was still drinking. How much more blood could I afford to lose before I died? As if in response, I felt the pressure release from my wrist. Edwards onyx eyes blinked at me from a foot away. He looked tortured and desperate. I knew he was struggling with the human in him. He wanted more, but he knew he had to stop. I could already feel the weakness the loss of blood had resulted in. His pained, angelic face faded from before me as my consciousness slipped away.

I didn't know how long I was out for, but I awoke to the familiar pain in my arm. My vision was blurred, and imperfect, but I could make out Edwards cold figure laying next to me.

"There's that fire again." I made a weak attempt at humor.

"Bella, I'm so sorry." He ignored my joke.

"No." I failed to shake my head. "Thank you."

"What can I do to make this easier for you?" His tortured face swam into focus.

"Hold my hand." I instructed. "It burns."

He obediently wove his fingers through mine. The cool of his skin relieved some of the discomfort, but the pain was still present. I knew that in a short time, the venom would spread and the pain would consume my entire body. I fought to conceal my agony from Edward, but he was wise enough to avoid looking at my face. He held my hand securely and pressed as much of his body as he could against mine, anticipating my pending pain as much as I was.

"I almost lost control, Bella. I was so scared."

"But you didn't."

"No."

"And now its all over."

"Not yet." He whispered.

"Yes, the hard part is over."

"But not for you."

I made a weak attempt at shrugging.

"Thank you for believing in me." He breathed into my ear.

I smiled, and shuddered involuntarily, causing his arms to tighten around me.

"Sleep, Bella. It will be the last chance you have, and the more time you can spend sleeping, the better."

His head rested on my chest and I gave in to a forced, fitful sleep. As I slept, Edward continued to press his ear to my chest and monitor the slowing beats of my heart until eventually, they stopped all together.

10 hours later, I had lost my ability to sleep. I awoke to the most agonizing pain I had ever experienced. For Edward's sake, I held back the blood curdling screams of pain that built up inside me. I writhed in the bed for a seemingly endless amount of time enduring my own personal hell. The only thing that could have been worse than this is if Edward wasn't by my side. I could always feel him, pressing his body against mine in his best effort to relieve my pain. As grateful as I was for him, I couldn't show it. I could feel my expressions reflecting the inexplicable and torturous pain that I couldn't hide. Through my half coherent state, I vaguely remember him repeating "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Bella." As he gently cradled my body to his.

I know that I was awake for over two thirds of the change. I only had Edward and the pain to focus on for the most part. The family came and went briefly, respecting the required privacy. I managed to weakly acknowledge visits from Esme, Emmet, Carlisle, Jasper, and Alice. Rosalie never came. I didn't blame her. She had made no secret of her disapproval of my decision. I didn't remember much about any of the visits, except for once, I remember Alice and Edward arguing. Alice insisted that Edward go hunt and that she could stay with me for a few hours. Edward adamantly refused, mentioning something about his vows to stay by my side through sickness and health.

Dawn broke on the third day to find me in the most excruciating pain I had ever known. My body felt as if it was being literally ripped in half. My muscles throbbed and burned consistently. I felt my skin hardening through effort and my body fight constantly over temperature. My muscles were on fire, it seemed… but my skin was as cold as Edward's. I twisted and turned in my husbands arms. Occasionally a small moan or whimper of discomfort would escape me and I would feel his arms tighten around me reflexively.

"She's cold, Carlisle." I heard Edward report to the doctor.

"She's nearly finished." He observed. "No more than two more hours at most."

"Her eyes." Edward directed his attention.

"Red." He announced. "Less than an hour then."

They mumbled some other things that I didn't catch before I heard Edward ask - "Is everything moved?"

"Yes." Was the response. "We are waiting for you guys. Alice is going to drive you two, so you can sit in the back seat with Bella."

They continued talking, but I lost focus of what they were saying. Carlisle exited a moment later, just as I had begun to slowly recover from the pain that had captivated me for the last…….was it only three days? It seemed so much longer.

"Where are my clothes?" I suddenly realized aloud.

"You were complaining about the burning, and you said that my skin helped." Edward supplied.

I then realized that Edward's clothing was also missing. I understood, then, his focus on pressing as much of his skin to mine as he could and I was immediately grateful.

"How's the burning?"

"Gone." I replied honestly.

"Good." He nodded. "I was so impressed with you, Bella. You were so strong.

"It hurt like hell." I admitted shamelessly.

"I know it did."

He held me for a few more minutes until all of the pain vanished entirely.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

I frowned. I felt something, that was for sure. I didn't know what exactly it was that I felt though.

"I feel…."

"Thirsty." He finished for me.

That was it. I was thirsty. I had been prepared for this, but the intensity of the feeling shocked me.

"Alice and I will stop and hunt with you before we get to Denali." He answered my silence.

There it was. Fear. The elusive fear that had escaped me in the most convenient of times. There it was now, invading my calmness like a tornado. I didn't know how to hunt. What if I was bad at it? What if I couldn't handle the blood?

"You'll be fine." He promised, reading my expression. "But we really should get going before you get anymore thirsty." He warned.

I nodded in agreement.

He stood up and stretched. I realized, as he put his clothes on, that he hadn't left this bed in almost 4 days. Another surge of gratefulness flowed through me as I followed suit, gathering my clothes with surprising speed and grace from the floor. Yes, this was going to take some getting used to. Edward smiled, and held out his hand for me. He felt much softer to the touch now that I was less breakable. I marveled at the ease with which I descended the stairs. I didn't trip at all. I grinned, proud of the undeserved accomplishment. Edward didn't need to save me from falling to my death at all. What an improvement. Edward surveyed my discoveries as he walked beside me. When I caught his eye, he was grinning widely.

"What?" I was confused.

His only response was to lift me up and lock his hands behind my head. I caught on quickly and offered no opposition. I hooked my legs around his waist and allowed our lips to collide dangerously as he pressed my back into the stairway wall much more forcefully than he would normally have. The force was welcomed. It was so much different to kiss Edward when I wasn't fragile. I didn't feel so weak and breakable anymore. His tongue parted my lips and fearlessly darted in and out of my mouth. The caution that had always been present before was completely absent now.

"I can't wait to get to the house." He grinned.

I was very pleased to find that my thirst and desire for blood did not overpower my desire for Edward. All of the same urges were still there, the only difference was the addition of another, still unfamiliar, one.

The kiss could not last long. His family…… our family was waiting downstairs to welcome us back.

Still holding his hand tightly, we descended the remaining flight of stairs to greet the family, and our future.


	10. Predator

Title: Predator

Rating: PG-13 due to blood reference

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Characters: The Cullen Family (Including Bella)

Summary: Bella's first day as a vampire, getting used to the power, hunting, etc.

"Bella!" Alice Embraced me tightly, "It's good to have you back."

I was shocked at how suddenly fragile she felt beneath my embrace. The rest of the family, with the exception of Rosalie, who was not present, fell in line behind Alice to welcome me back.

"Lets get the show on the road before those werewolf things show up." Emmett clapped after the greetings had been exchanged.

"Werewolf things?" I raised my eyebrows.

"You know what I meant."

I turned to follow them all out the doors, but hesitated to take one final sweep of the house I had been able to call home for only one short week. Esme noted my hesitation and laid a gentle hand on my shoulder encouragingly.

"We'll come back one day, don't worry."

I knew she was right, but I was also aware of the fact that our return wouldn't take place until at least 100 years from that point. 100 years was the standard precaution, or so had been explained to me. After 100 years the coast should be clear of werewolves and any other human who may recognize me. I let my eyes wander across the large living area. The house seemed so empty, even though all of the furniture was still there.

"Bella?" Edwards silken voice snapped me back to reality. I blinked and looked around. While I was surveying the room, everyone else had left, leaving Edward and I alone.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine." I nodded. "Lets go."

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze and led me out the door. As I slid into the back seat of Alice's flashy yellow convertible, I saw Rosalie's blonde hair blowing in the wind as she sped off with Emmett and Jasper in her flashy _red_ convertible.

"She'll come around." Edward assured me as he followed my gaze.

I didn't respond. Alice sped off in a cloud of dust as soon as Edward and I were safely secured in our seats. Edward put his arm around me and kissed my forehead lightly. The lack of my rapid heartbeat was something that I realized would take a lot of getting used to. His hand elevated to my face and he began rubbing comforting circled on my cheek with his thumb.

"Do I look different?" I realized that I hadn't seen myself since three days previously.

"You're still as beautiful as ever." He assured me.

"Are my eyes really red?" I hoped he would say no.

"Yes, but don't worry. It is normal for a newborn. As soon as all of the human blood has left your body, they will lighten considerably in shade."

"Will they be the same color as yours?"

"Eventually."

"Speaking of eyes," Alice piped up from the front seat. "You both look like you could use a hunt."

She was right. Edwards eyes were dark black, and I could feel my own thirst tugging on the edge of my consciousness. It was like being addicted to a drug before you even try it. I craved it, but I was afraid of that first time. Afraid of the consequences, or afraid of getting carried away or not doing something properly. Realization and understanding flooded me as it was now much easier to comprehend Edwards heroin metaphor that he had once used as a tool to my insight.

"The Ridge, Edward?" Alice asked.

"Yes, The Ridge would be a good place to get her started." Edward replied.

I had no idea what "The Ridge" was, but I knew it had to do with hunting. I wondered momentarily how many times Edward had been at The Ridge when he had left me to go hunting.

The rest of the ride was an overall silent one. I enjoyed the ability of being able to snuggle up to Edward without my heart doing all manners of flips and dangerous maneuvers without my consent. The 100 miles per hour that the car was traveling at no longer bothered me. In only 40 minutes we were well outside of Forks and approaching the state line. Alice abruptly pulled the car off of the highway onto a hidden dirt road. The road twisted and turned into the woods and eventually became more of a discreet trail meant to be taken on foot or with bikes.

"Don't leave her, Edward. You know what could happen." Alice warned as she shifted the car into park and removed the keys.

He nodded. "Stay within earshot, just in case."

She was gone in an instant.

"Edward, what-"

"We just need to make sure we stay close to you in case you smell a human." He answered my question before I had spoken it. "Your firsst experience with resistance is going to be rough. You'll need help."

"You mean, I'll need restraint." I muttered.

"Yes, Bella," he read my fear, "Don't worry about it, please. It is only natural." He stiffened suddenly. "There! Do you smell that?"

I sniffed the air cautiously. "Deer." I confirmed. "Four of them, 2 miles from here.. Two bucks, one 9 years old and the other 2 years old. One doe that's 5 years old, and a 2 week old fawn. They're one mile west of here heading north going 17 miles per hour."

Edwards mouth fell open in pure astonishment.

"What?" I insisted.

"Bella……….. Bella, can you really sense all of that with just your _nose?_"

"Can't you?" I was shocked that Edward would miss facts that obvious.

"No, Bella. I could smell deer, and I could generate a general direction and distance, but the rest was impossible for me to distinguish.

"Oh." I bit my lip.

"Bella, you're a natural _tracker_."

"Isn't that what…. James?"

"Yes. James was a tracker also."

I thought for a moment.

"I guess that makes sense." I justified, "I always had a bizarre sense of smell as a human."

He nodded.

"But…." I continued, "James was….well…… James was _evil_! I don't want to-"

He banished my panic with a wave of his hand. "No, Bella." He soothed, "James was evil because he chose to be. He chose to use his talents to hunt humans. All this means is that its all the more important for us to keep you clean of human blood now."

I nodded again, fearing that my voice would betray my fear.

"We can worry about this later." He shook his head. "Right now, we need to focus on getting some food in you."

I took his hand as he offered it and began at a slow sprint. I was used to speed, I had been a passenger on Edward's back many times, but I had never imagined how it would be on my own two feet. I winced reflexively, half-expecting to trip and fall with each step. I was still not accustomed to the inhuman grace and poise that I was suddenly in possession of. He smiled knowingly at me as we increased our speed. I made a nuancial adjustment to our direction, reacting to the new sense within me. Edward followed suit. As we flew at an exhilarating speed through the trees, I found myself subconsciously calculating my pending attack. The larger buck was the fastest, but I was not doubting my own speed. I could catch him. He was the younger buck too, so his blood would be more fresh and youthful. I was shocked to realize how outside of myself I was. I had completely given myself over to instinct and my body was responsive to a different part of my brain that had not been present before. It didn't take long before the prey were mere feet in front of us. Edward squeezed my hand in encouragement and set off towards the large looking doe . I was aware of its deceiving body mass as being mostly comprised of excess fat, considering she had just given birth to her fawn two weeks earlier, a fact that Edward was obviously not attuned to. I turned my attention to the young buck dodging clumsily through the trees in front of me. Pleased at how easily the hunt was coming to me, I sprang lithely forward and landed in a cat-like position on the bucks back. He ran faster in a futile attempt to escape me. I turned to throw a glance at Edward just in time to see his strong hands sharply twist the head of his foe in an unnatural circle. I heard the sickening crunch of bones cracking with an intense audio reception that proved to be another of the upgrades to my already present senses. I followed his example and managed to snap the bucks neck with an unnerving ease. Its legs buckled beneath it and I aprang off of its back gracefully as it crumpled to a dead mass of fur in front of me.

No longer needing to look to Edward for example, I let the instinct within me take over. I felt the warm blood slide easily down my throat as my thirst decreased generously. When the deer had been drained entirely of blood, I began to feel sick. I had anticipated feeling ill at some point or another, considering my low tolerance for blood as a human, but the cause of this sickness was not my bodies reaction to the blood, but rather my _conscience_ reacting to it. I felt disgusted with myself. I curled my knees up to my chest and emitted a tearless sob as I stared at the lifeless mass in front of me whose life I had just heartlessly stolen to supplement my own existence.

"It's always hard the first time." Edwards arms wrapped around me and lifted me up. "It gets easier." He promised as he began walking with me cradled to his chest.

"I can run." I insisted. I didn't intend for the direction to be taken in a hurtful way, I was just wager to put as much distance between myself and the dead buck as possible, and I knew that we would be faster if we were both running. He set me down without argument and started running with me. I gave myself over to the speed and found myself struggling to let Edward keep up with me. I realized with a start that I was capable of running faster than Edward.

Alice was waiting for us patiently in the car "How did it go?" She asked eagerly as Edward and I slid into the back seat. As if she didn't already know, I thought.

"Fine." I replied.

"Edward, you still look hungry." She observed.

"Probably because his doe gave birth to a fawn 13 days ago and looked a lot bigger than what she was when she really was comprised of 41 more fat than blood." I stated casually.

Alice displayed the same reaction as Edward had.

"Why to people keep looking at me like that?" I responded to her seemingly unattached jaw.

"She's a natural tracker." Edward supplied conversationally.

"Obviously." Alice gasped.

"You guys act as if it is such a big deal. It can't be that uncommon. James was a tracker." I pointed out.

"Yes, Bella, James was a tracker," Edward agreed, "but James was not nearly as talented as you. I know that, I have the insight. Plus, Carlisle- the oldest of us all- had never encountered a real tracker before James. Trackers are rare."

"Oh." I absorbed his words slowly. "Great, so I'm an abnormal human _and an abnormal vampire? I'm going to be a freak no matter what!" I threw my hands in the air in exasperation. Edward chuckled and tousled my hair playfully. _

"_You're not a freak, Bella. You're just unique."_

"_Pfft." I scowled. "I'm a freak."_

"_Even if that were true, I still love you." He whispered._

"_Good. You're stuck with me."_


	11. Il Tuo Cantante

Title: La Tua Cantante

Rating: M due to strong sexual content

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Stephenie Meyers does.

Summary: First night in the new house followed by a surprising twist.

It hardly even seemed like a half of an hour after hunting that I saw "The City of Denali Welcomes You" painted proudly on a road sign. Moments later we were winding through a small suburb with identical houses everywhere. I raised my eyebrows. "This doesn't really seem like Esme's style." I commented.

Alice's chuckled in response. "No, Its not." Just as she spoke, the car gracefully lurched to the right as we detoured onto a long winding driveway.

"Esme much prefers a fixer-upper." Edward supplied as we rounded a smooth corner and came into view of a large Victorian mansion.

"This doesn't exactly look like a fixer-upper." I gasped.

"It was when she bought it." Alice chimed.

I stared wide eyed at the breathtaking view before me. Chalky white, three stories high, the majestic mansion towered gracefully among the plethora of convenient trees. There were balconies jutting out everywhere and the wraparound porch was beautiful.

Edward unnecessarily helped me out of the car as he smiled - "Well, Mrs. Cullen, shall we venture up to our honeymoon suite?"

Alice laughed. "Not above my room I hope, I don't want to be hearing-"

Edward cut her off with a playful shove.

Esme and Carlisle met us at the door.

"Welcome home." Esme beamed.

"How was hunting?" Carlisle pressed before I had the chance to compliment Esme on her choice of house.

"Fine." I muttered. "But don't worry, I'm still as weird as I was when I was human. I can't seem to get rid of my freakish quality."

Carlisle's forehead wrinkled in confusion but Edward interrupted before he could speak.

"We'll talk about it later Carlisle."

"Alright." Carlisle accepted. "Tonight then, after you've settled in."

With the matter of my freakishness set to be dealt with later, Edward pulled me eagerly into the house. I smiled as I realized that he was making no secret of his haste to get to the bedroom.

The vast amount of work that Esme had put into this house was astonishing. The renovations were obvious, seeing as the inside of the main level of this house looked very similar to the house in Forks. It was cleared of any walls that were not vital to its sturdiness and painted white with flowers in vases and candles everywhere. Along the east and west walls were pressed two curving staircases carved from the most flawless marble I had ever seen, - aside from Edwards skin, of course. He pulled me towards the eastern staircase and began touring me through the new home. He had seen the layout of the house in Esme's mind long ago, when she bought it, so he was perfectly capable of providing a well educated tour.

The second floor was painted in soft earth tones with many plants and paintings lining the hall. On this floor, Edward pointed out a bathroom, Emmett and Rosalie's room, Alice and Jasper's room, and a large closet before setting me in front of a door eagerly.

"This room was Alice's touch." He informed me.

I opened the door slowly to reveal a large room lined with couches. When I turned on the light, the illumination revealed a large movie screen covering one full wall of the room.

"A movie theatre in the house?" I laughed.

"You know how much Alice likes movies." He reminded me. "She wants to have a movie night tonight, by the way."

We continued our tour by going up another flight of stairs to the third story. This floor was painted in light purples and blues and I knew this must be the floor where Esme's room was. Sure enough, Edward identified the first door on the right to be Esme and Carlisle's suite, followed by another bathroom (which I found to be highly unnecessary seeing as every bedroom had its own bathroom.) and then Carlisle's office. Next he opened the last door on the right to display their large collection of books inhabiting their own room as a library before spinning me to face the final door on our tour.

"And now, my love, welcome home." He kissed my neck as he reached around me to swing the door open. The room in front of me was a brilliant shade of white. A circular cushion was found embedded into the middle of the floor. He explained that all of their beds were like this and the reason would become apparent to me in time. My eyes flew rapidly around the room, touching on every aspect as quickly as possible, trying desperately to soak it all in. Our room was equipped with a walk in closet, which already contained our clothes, and a over sized bathroom with a luxurious Jacuzzi tub. All of those unnecessary splendors were pushed from my mind instantly as soon as I saw the large, white, grand piano against the west wall. I gasped in awe as I walked towards it, almost as if pulled by some invisible force. Edward followed me.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it." I whispered.

"Good." He smiled.

I stared at him admiringly as he swept me onto the bench seat beside him. His eyes never broke our gaze as his fingers traveled effortlessly over the ivory keys. My lullaby fused with other soft melodies and hung in the air like stars.

Long after the song was finished the music still played on in my head.

"I'll teach you how to play, if you want." He promised. "We have forever, now."

"I would really like that." I agreed.

He wrapped his arms firmly around me and weaved his fingers through mine. A short time later he spoke again.

"You have blood on your sleeve."

"Oh," I blinked, "I guess I do."

I rose from the piano bench and crossed the room to the closet. I stripped the shirt off as I went and discarded it mindlessly in the clothes hamper than had been already set outside of the closet.

I began to reach for a new shirt, but my efforts came to a welcomed halt as Edward appeared behind me and linked his hands securely around my waist, pulling me into him. I leaned my neck to the side as he began leaving a trail of gentle kisses down my jaw and to my collarbone.

"Bella," He breathed my name onto my neck.

"mmmmmm" I responded as I twisted in his arms to face him.

"Are you happy?" He whispered between kisses.

"More than you know."

He lifted one hand from my lower back and used it to securely fasten his mouth to my own. He lifted me with his other arm and cradled me against him as he walked over to the large cushion-bed in the middle of our room. Breaking the kiss for only one second, he lay me on the bed with a very humane gentility. Immediately, he leaned over me and resumed kissing me as my steady hands slid beneath his shirt and up his abdomen. I paused my hands briefly on his chest before removing my lips from his for just enough time to slip the fabric over his head and toss it aside. When the kiss resumed, however, there was an added hunger and desire that sent chills through me. He let his hands slide from my shoulders down to my waist as he managed to unbutton my jeans in one swift movement, I ground my hips against his as I struggled to wiggle out of them. Once my jeans were safely out of the equation, I tested my own talent on the button on his jeans. It resigned its duty without resistance beneath my fingers. Edward impatiently removed them in less than a second.

His lips were eagerly exploring my body and kissing every uncovered inch of it while I mindlessly played with his silk-like hair. Time flew by. We spent so much time worshiping each other and detaching from the world in our passionate kisses, that hours had passed before we removed any more clothing. If we had been capable of sweating, we would have been drenched. We rolled over every square-foot of the cushion, completely oblivious to anything outside of our own passion for one another. It was hard to believe that just days ago, the fragile state of my body would have never been able to handle this intensity.

"I want you." He whispered as he traced my collarbone with his lips.

"I'm yours." I breathed back.

It was all the permission he needed. We had been pacing ourselves, building up to this all evening. It only took him a second to position his hips properly between mine. I gasped as he slid easily into me. All of the pressure and concern that had been present the first time had vanished entirely.

With no reason at all for him to exercise caution, our passion doubled. I vaguely remember Edward groaning something about "No more training wheels" at some point. It was a perfect metaphor, really. Before, we were both inexperienced and overcautious. Now, however, we were unafraid and entirely willing to surrender our bodies to every impulse and every urge they entertained.

Sleeping was not a possibility and more, but I didn't feel at all deprived. Our naked bodies were wrapped loosely in a sheet as we lay in silence, not touching, not blinking, just staring into each others eyes. It felt like such an intimate moment, even with the lack of direct contact. We stayed like that until sun began its ritualistic fight with the rain clouds.

In the silence, I reflected on the reason why the cushion was necessary. Any activities like that on a real bed would have surely crumbled it to the ground.

"Carlisle is still waiting to talk to us." He reminded me.

"Oh, yeah. We should probably go do that." I sighed.

He held out his hand as I tried to sit up. "No, let me."

He flew around the room in a visual blur and collected my clothing. Slowly, he untangled me from the sheets and caressed every inch of my body before allowing the fabric to cover me.

When he was done, I sat up with the intention of returning the favor to find him already clothed.

Next time, I promised myself. Next time.

Edward grabbed my hand firmly in his and I followed him to Carlisle's office. He hesitated before the door momentarily before Edward announced that Carlisle was busy at the moment.

"I really think we should go in." My voice came from somewhere that I had no control over.

The new smell rolling from that closed door in savory waves was painfully appetizing. Before I understood what was happening, Edward had me pinned down to the floor with an unexpected strength and I was angry with him. I was fighting violently to get him off of me. I wanted what was in that room. Seconds later, Alice appeared out of nowhere and began assisting Edward. They held me down and exchanged concerns that were inaudible to me over my screams of fury.

"Bella!" Alice yelled. "Edward, what's wrong with her!?"

The commotion had brought Carlisle out of his office. The open door sent me into an even wilder fit of rage. I wanted something from that room. Blood, that was it. I wanted the blood that I smelled in that room, why wouldn't they let me have it?!

"Get her downstairs!" Carlisle ordered. I was furious. I wanted what was in that room. I wanted it with a desire that was not my own. Carlisle grabbed my legs and helped Alice and Edward drag me down the two flights of stairs. With the increasing distance between me and the scent it became easier for them to control me. They set me on the couch and Alice and Edward took a position on either side of me to hold me down. I was instantly disgusted with myself and I felt thoroughly ashamed.

"Carlisle?" Edward asked.

"Yes?"

"Do you have a human in your office?"

"No."

"I didn't think so, I would have been able to smell a human."

"Bella," Carlisle turned his attention back to me. "What did you smell?"

"I smelled blood." I didn't like where this was going. Was I hallucinating the smell of blood now? No one else could seem to smell it.

"Bella, there was no-"

"Wait!" Carlisle cut him off. "Of course!" Realization dawned over his face.

"Edward, Alice, hold her down. I'll send Emmett to help you."

"What!?"

"Wait!"

"No!"

Alice, Edward and I all shouted together.

"Just do it." He ordered

"Send Jasper." Alice advised

"No, Emmett is stronger and Jaspers power is no good when it comes to the scent of blood, remember?"

"Oh yeah." Alice seemed to suddenly recall a previous memory.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." Edward whispered in my ear.

"Why on earth would there be any fresh blood in Carlisle's office?" Alice wondered aloud.

"No." I corrected her. "It wasn't fresh blood, it was very old. There was actually a lot of different old blood, but only one of them smelled good."

Edward and Alice exchanged frightened glances at my words.

"What's going on?" Emmett appeared at the foot of the stairs. His question went unanswered though, it was cut off by a loud scream coming from me. Carlisle appeared right behind him holding a open test tube of blood and a blood stained rag. I strained towards him and Alice and Edward struggled against my force. I stood a small chance of escaping them until Emmett joined the restraint party.

"Her eyes are black." He commented.

"This is why." Carlisle gestured to the bottle and rag he held. "Bella, I need you to try to focus."

I struggled against the three pairs of hands violently, feeling the anger bubbling up within me. Why wouldn't they just let me have that rag. Its not like it was an actual human.

"Bella, which of these do you want?" Carlisle asked gently.

"The rag. Give me the rag!" I pleaded desperately.

"I thought so." He stated smoothly. With that, he turned on his heel and departed up the stairs. I cried out in anguish as he denied me the appealing scent that was torturing me. A few moments later he returned empty handed followed by Jasper, Esme, and Rosalie.

"Relax, Bella. I took care of it." He assured me.

Alice and Emmett released me, but Edward would not let go. His arms circled around me and cradled me to his chest. His eyes were panic stricken and full of sympathy as he stared at me in concern.

I was appalled with myself. How could I have behaved like that. I am a monster, I though to myself.

Rosalie didn't stay long. She stood in the stairs for just enough time to survey the situation, and then she was gone.

"Carlisle wha-"

"La Tua Cantante." Carlisle cut Edwards question short.

We all looked at him blankly.

"Well, I suppose I will have to explain to you why you have blood in my office first, don't I?"

Everyone nodded in unison.

As the story composed itself in Carlisle's mind, Edward relaxed. I decided that Edward's mind reading was similar to reading the last chapter of a book first. I patiently waited for Carlisle to verbalize the story that Edward had already comprehended.

"When each of you were changed, I took a sample of all of your blood." Carlisle began "Since there are no secrets in this house," He shot a glance at Edward, "I'll elaborate further on the reason for these blood samples.

"Its not an easy life for us preying on animals and avoiding humans. Human blood is what makes us the strongest, more specifically our own human blood. Knowing that, what I have been trying to design is a way to generate more of our blood, or allow it to reproduce itself, rather. That way, hunting would be unnecessary and our lives would be much easier."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"What does this have to do with Bella?" Alice urged.

"Well," Carlisle continued. "As I was unpacking the box of blood, the cork somehow worked itself out of Edwards bottle and some blood spilled on the floor. I cleaned it up and threw the rag in the garbage, not giving it a second thought. The blood was 100 years old, I didn't expect it to hold any appeal for anyone. As it turns out though, blood must hold an attraction regardless of age if it is the blood of your singer."

"La Tua Cantante." I breathed.

"Yes, Bella, it appears that Edward's blood holds for you the same intense appeal that yours held for him. "

Esme and Alice gasped.

"Is this….a surprise?" I asked.

"Yes, Bella," Edward finally spoke. "It has never been heard of for two people to be each others singers. Though this may be for many reasons , it is new knowledge to us."

"Oh."

"So what does that mean?" Alice piped up.

"Well, we can all have our theories, but with the knowledge being so fresh, there is really no way to know for sure." Carlisle responded. "But don't worry, Bella. I disposed of the rag, so you should be fine now."

"Wait!" I remembered, "Why did I want the rag, but not the open tube?"

"The tube had Alice's blood in it. The rag was just Edward's."

"Oh." I bit my lip.

We all sat in silence for another moment before everyone but Edward and I one-by-one filing out of the room and returning to their previous engagements. Edward remained silent and just stroked my hair absently.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, ashamed.

"No, Bella, no." He squeezed me to his chest. "Its not your fault. There's nothing you could have done."

"Is that how hard it was for you?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"When you first met me, is that how hard it was for you to resist my blood?"

"I can imagine that seeing as you are a newborn and your first introduction to human blood, ever, was the blood that would appeal the most, it was probably a bit harder for you." He rubbed comforting circles in the back of my hand with his thumb while he spoke.

"Regular blood wont be that hard to resist then?"

"Not by any standard." He assured me.

"Good. That was scary."

"I know." He kissed my forehead. "Are you okay?"

"I'll always be okay as long as I'm with you." I whispered.

"Good," He smiled. "I guess I'll just have to stick around then."


	12. Family Value

Title: Family Value

Rating: PG-13 - language

Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to Twilight. Its all Stephenie Meyers!

Summary: With the Cullen's value as vampires increasing, the Volturi pay an expected visit.

Tonight, Alice had planned a movie night in the upstairs theatre. Edward and I had accepted, though I was not entirely fond of the idea of watching movies with just the two of them. Alice had a tendency to employ her psychic abilities to determine the end of the movie before it was finished, and naturally, Edward used his own talents to steal the knowledge from her. I always ended up being the only one remaining who was surprised at the ending.

Edward and I entered the room to find Alice sitting on the couch staring vacantly at the blank screen. We both knew immediately that she was having a vision of the future.

"Awe! Come on Alice…" I protested, "You can't find out how the movie ends before we even start it!" I gave her a light, playful shove. Her head snapped forward and her suddenly panicked eyes met Edwards.

"Shit." He groaned, "Are you sure?"

Certainty flashed in her eyes.

"Damnit." He cursed again.

"WHAT!?" I shouted.

"Volturi." Alice spoke without breaking eye contact with Edward.

"No, here? Now? When?"

"Yes, here. 10 minutes."

"Bella, we need to talk to Carlisle, now."

I nodded. We had never gotten the opportunity to discuss my freakish tracking ability with Carlisle yet. Now was the time. If the Cullen's hadn't already appealed enough to the Volturi with Alice and Jaspers talents in tow, once I was added to the equation, and even Jasper, the situation would only get worse.

I followed Edward quickly up the stairs to Carlisle's office. He burst through the door without knocking.

"Carlisle, the Volturi are coming."

"Ah," Carlisle looked up from his newspaper indifferently, "Good, they are probably here to check on Bella's change."

"Bella is a tracker." Edward blurted out.

Carlisle's eyes got big and as he looked at me, "Bella?" He questioned.

"Yeah, I know, I'm a freak." I muttered

He ignored me and turned back to Edward. "Are you sure?"

"Carlisle, they're really coming," I misinterpreted his question, "They're 12 miles away - running at 97 miles per hour. There are 12 of them. Jane and Caius are the only ones I recognize. They will be here in about 5 minutes."

"That's not what I meant, Bella, but that answers my question anyways. A sense of smell that sharp can only belong to a tracker."

I looked down at my feet as Edward jumped in again

"When Alice and Bella came to Italy to save me, the Volturi made quite clear how valuable our power was to them. They made themselves almost impossible to refuse when it was just Alice and myself present with power. Now with Jasper and Bella added to it…." He trailed off.

"I see.." Carlisle frowned. "If we just don't mention-"

"No. They expressed a strong interest in seeing how Bella turned out. It was impressive enough to them that she had the talent of immunity as a human, they took an immediate interest in her outcome after the change." Edward explained.

Alice suddenly burst in the door. "They're here." Edward, Alice, and I all whispered in unison.

"Alice. Keep Jasper away, the less they know of him - the better." I warned

"Good idea." She bolted off to find Jasper.

"Let me do the talking." Carlisle admonished grimly as we began walking down the stairs to meet our guests. As we descended the Eastern staircase, Esme and Alice mirrored our movement on the West.

"They're talking outside." Edward informed us. "They're deciding who to send in."

"They're going to decide on Caius and Jane, since they've been introduced to us before." Alice added.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Jane and Caius." I confirmed. "The other ten are waiting 100 feet away from the house in case of trouble."

"Jane, Caius! What a wonderful surprise!" Carlisle greeted them warmly.

"Thank you, Carlisle. Though, its hardly a surprise, I'm sure." Jane smiled without emotion as she threw a glance in Alice's direction.

"Will you be staying?" Esme asked in a hostess-like manner.

"No, I'm afraid that we wont be able to stay for long." Jane replied indifferently, "We are here on Aro's business, and we are all rather hungry. I won't lie, I expected a snack would be awaiting us here." Her cold eyes fell accusingly on me, "But I see that I was mistaken."

A low growl rumbled within Edward's throat. I gave his arm a forceful squeeze, not wanting him to make the situation any worse than what it was already.

"Bella," Jane continued, "I'll admit that I am rather surprised to see you…..aliv - ah, well… still here. I thought for sure that Edward lacked the resistance to change you without killing you."

Edward tensed again.

"Edward did very well, actually." I responded as calmly as I could.

"I see." Her voice was cold. "When we found out that you had moved, we assumed that you were either running from Bella's death, or hiding from us. You understand why we had to investigate, I'm sure, but it seems that Bella is still here, and a vampire no less, so your move could not be due to any of those reasons. Why, then-" She questioned.

Carlisle stepped up immediately. "Bella could not remain where people would recognize her after the change. It was time for a new location anyways."

"I see." Jane's piercing and disbelieving red eyes flicked between Carlisle and myself. They contained none of the friendliness that she had forced into her voice. "I'm interested, though, to hear about this change. How have you been coping with your new lifestyle?" She directed her new stream of questioning at me.

"Fine." I responded curtly.

"Fine?" She raised her eyebrows in a evil smirk.

"We encountered no problems." Carlisle confirmed.

"And now?" She pressed, "has she developed any unusual talents?"

"Her sense of smell is abnormally strong, and she is still immune to a lot of talents." Carlisle covered.

"Funny, my sources have described her as one of - if not the most - talented tracker in existence. I find it hard to believe that a man of your education would not recognize that immediately." She smirked. I saw Caius chuckle softly to himself behind her.

"Tracker is a word that could describe her talents, I suppose." He shrugged back.

"Indeed." She raised an eyebrow. "Mind reading, future prediction, tracking, emotion manipulating, how talented this family is. Very valuable." She contemplated aloud to herself.

I head Alice take in a sharp breath. We hadn't known that the Volturi were aware of Jasper's talent. Jane certainly knew much more than we thought.

"Psychic." Jane addressed Alice impartially, "Do you happen to see any portion of your future where you and your talented family may live in Italy and be privileged enough to be one of our own?"

"All due respect," Alice smiled, "I don't see that happening."

"Pity. You would be such a nice addition."

"We are content with our current lifestyle, thank you. Besides, it seems that you don't need us anyways." Edward snapped. "You seem to have very talented and well educated sources."

Jane giggled a high pitched and melodic laugh. "You were surprised that we knew about Jasper and Bella's talent I take it. Yes, we do have our sources. You would probably be interested to know that we were already fully aware that the treaty with those mangy dogs was the main reason you fled Forks." She smirked.

I felt my eyes widen. _What a bitch,_ I thought pointedly.

"Well," Caius finally broke his silence, "Its time for us to eat. Lets put some distance between ourselves and Denali before we feed though."

"I appreciate the notion." Carlisle said. "Thank you for respecting our lifestyle."

"Yes, of course. We wouldn't want to keep you any longer." Jane agreed with a hint of sarcasm in her icy voice. "Caius!" She snapped her fingers at him, directing him to make his exit. In a moment they were gone. She had spun on her heel and exited before Esme could breathe a word of goodbye.

"That's not the last we hear of this." Alice stated.

No one argued with her. Partly because its never wise to argue with a psychic, and partly because at that moment my phone rang. I was so used to Alice being my own personal caller ID that her silence filled me with dread and concern.

Jacob.

I quickly pulled out my phone and looked at the number on the front.

No, not Jacob, Billy.

"Billy, what's wrong?"

"Bella, before I say anything let me just make perfectly clear how entirely against the treaty this is. If Charlie wasn't my best friend I would not have done this."

"Billy… what the hell is wrong?" I repeated.

"Charlie…."

"What's wrong with Charlie!? I almost shouted.

The entire family tensed and stared at me in shock as I waited for a response.

"He's…… he's had an attack Bella."

"What do you mean?"

"A heart attack."

"Oh my God." I exhaled. I felt suddenly dizzy. "How… why?"

"He had to tell him, Bella, he's your father…. He had a right to know."

"NO!" I shouted. "I'm coming there."

"I expected that. I'll keep the pack away."

"GOOD!"

"Bella, I'm sorry. You can't blame Jacob for this…. Charlie had every right to know."

"Like hell I can't blame Jacob! Just keep him away from me when I get there!" I snapped the phone shut and collapsed into Edward's arms.

"Bella! What's wrong?"

"Charlie…. Jake told him… about… vampires, and now…he…." I stammered breathlessly

"Bella…. Sweetie what happened?" Alice pressed.

"Heart attack."

In that moment, all time halted. My head spun dangerously as I could faintly hear the echo of a heartbeat slowing… and then ceasing to exist at all.


	13. Karma

Title: Karma

Rating: M - language

Disclaimer: Steph Meyers owns. Not me. 

Summary: Jacobs a dumb ass. The end.

"Bella, Bella sweetheart, you have to snap out of it." Alice shook my shoulders. 

"What have I done?" I managed to mumble. 

"No. No, Bella…. This is not your fault." Edward kissed my forehead. 

I pulled away from him. "Yes it is, Edward, come on. We have to go."

"Go?" He looked surprised. "No, Bella, we can't go there."

"We have to. My dad found out that I'm a vampire and he had a heart attack. I have some explaining to do."

"That's the exact reason we can't go. Bella, you are a vampire. He is a human. You wont be able to resist his blood. Plus, a hospital is not at all the place to take a newborn."

"I'll plug my nose." I retorted coldly. 

"No, Bella. You can't. I wont allow it." 

"I can run faster than you."

"Alright, fine Bella, go. Go to the hospital and explain to your dad that you're a vampire. And while your at it you can also explain the 50 people you massacred on the way to his room. How's that?" 

"UGH!" I threw my hands up in the air and sat down on the couch. "He's my father, Its my fault he is even in the hospital. OH MY GOD I don't even know if he's going to survive! I can't just sit here and do nothing." 

In response, Edward stood decidedly and crossed to the phone. His fingers flew across the keys at an invisible speed. He tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the call to connect.

"Hello?…. Yes, my name is Edward Cullen, I am Charlie Swan's son-in-law, I was wondering if-….. Yes, yes I'll hold."

His foot tapped more. 

"Yes, that's very good, thank you."

He held out the phone to me. 

I took it gingerly and held it to my ear. 

"Hello?" Charlie sounded so weak. 

I gulped. What the hell was I going to say to him. 

"Um, hi dad,"

"Bella?"

"Yeah dad, its me. Billy called and… I just wanted to….. Dad I'm sorry."

"I always knew there was something strange about that family… but I never expected…" He faltered. 

"I'm so sorry, Dad I didn't mean to…."

"So its true then… you're a….. you're a vampire? The Cullens too?"

"Are you going to have another heart attack if I say yes?"

"I'm too heavily medicated for that." He sighed. 

"Then, yes, its true."

Silence. 

Edward held out his hand for the phone.

"Dad, Edward wants to talk to you. Is that ok?"

"Yes."

"Alright, I love you Dad"

"I…. I love you too Bells."

I handed the phone to Edward and slid to the ground. I wrapped my arms around me legs and buried my face in my knees and just listened to Edward.

"Charlie,…… alright. Yes, that's fair………. She wants to come there, but I can't let her…. Because she doesn't have enough resistance to human blood yet………… No, Charlie. Its going to be a while before she's ready for that, and even then it will be putting you in danger…….. Charlie, you know that you can't tell anyone about this, right?…… yes, it would put Bella in a lot of danger……. Yes, Charlie. I will bring her to see you as soon as she is ready. Get better Charlie. Thank you……. I will. Goodbye."

"He is going to be fine." He sat on the ground next to me and put his arms securely around me. "Bella, I'm sorry. This shouldn't have happened."

"I can't believe Jacob would tell Charlie. He promised me he wouldn't….."

"Since when does Jacob have any decent morals." 

"Tou chay." I sighed. 

"I hope he feels like shit." I muttered. "He put Charlie in the hospital."

"Charlie is fine." Edward assured me. "He's just really confused. He can't make sense of any of this. I think I am going to tell Carlisle to go talk to him, calm him down a little."

"That would be good." I sighed.

"Bella," He grabbed my chin and pulled it up until I met his eyes. "Everything is going to be ok."

He could tell that I didn't believe him. He pulled me closer and pressed his lips to mine for a short moment. "Everything is going to be alright." He repeated against my lips. 

I might have been immune to his mind reading, but I was still not immune to his dazzling. I nodded in defeat, giving myself over to trust. 

The next few days dragged by. I called Charlie every day to get an update on his condition but even with the assurance of his speedy recovery, I worried constantly. I constantly asked Alice to check up on him. She was very cooperative and helpful though, she knew how upset I was. 

The phone rang twice. Alice's vacant expression sent butterflies to my stomach. "Please, no, not Charlie. Not Charlie." I stammered. 

"Charlie's fine." She promised. 

I took out the phone and looked at the number. 

"Jacob?"

"Shit." Alice moaned. "Now what?"

I opened the phone cautiously. "Hello?"

"Bella! Jesus, I knew you would be pissed that I told him but I never thought you would hire a damn hit-man!!" 

"Jake…. What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the damn group of bloodsuckers trying to off me Bella! They're all…. Freakish and zombie-like, they're unresponsive and all they want to do is kill me, mumbling some crazy bullshit about how I'm a danger to vampires and it wasn't my secret to tell. I didn't think you would stoop that low, Bella."

"Jacob," I stammered. "I swear I didn't… I mean, sure I was pissed at you, I _am pissed at you, but I didn't hire a hit man…"_

"_WHAT!?" Edward jumped up._

"_Are you sure It wasn't your husband?" Jacob retorted. _

"_No, Jake. Edward didn't hire a mob to off you either."_

"_Shit!" I heard muffled voices and shouts in the background. "I gotta run Bella, I'll call later."_

_Then the line went dead._

"_Bella?" Edward frowned. _

"_Edward, did you send a angry hoard of newborns to go kill Jacob?"_

"_NO!" Panic crossed his face. He began pacing the room deep in thought. He paced for several minutes before he abruptly halted. _

"_Shit. Jane."_

"_What about Jane?!"_

"_I think she has a better fix on things than we think. If she found out that Jacob told your dad…… well obviously that's against the rules."_

"_Oh no. She's trying to kill him?"_

"_Its likely. And if her newborns don't finish him, she'll do it herself."_

"_Wait…" I held out my hand to stop him. "He said that they were like….zombies."_

"_Michelle." He breathed._

"_Michelle? What does that mean?" _

"_Michelle is a vampire with another special power. She can hypnotize anyone into doing anything."_

"_What a convenient pain in the ass." Alice's voice joined in from across the room. "I heard," She cut Edward off before he could burst into detail._

"_So now what?" I asked frantically._

"_Bella, it doesn't look good for Jacob." Edward admitted. _

"_No. We have to help him." I breathed_

"_Bella, he'll kill you!" Alice shook her head. _

"_No he wont! I know him better, we have to…. We have to do something!"_

"_He will have to get himself out of this. He got himself into it….."_

"_NO!" I roared in anger._

"_Bella, Bella this boy just put your father in the hospital." Edward shook his head. _

"_I know! But I am NOT going to be selfish enough to let him deal with Jane on his own. I am not the kind of person to stand by and watch a friend suffer."_

"_Damn your morals, Bella." Alice scowled. _

"_I have to…. We can't just…." I sobbed dryly._

"_Shhhhh, ok Bella. Ok." Edward wrapped me tightly in his arms._

_The phone rang again._

"_Oh for God's sake, what now?" Alice put her hand on her hip. _

_A number I did not recognize popped up on the screen. _

"_Who is it?" Edward asked._

"_I don't know." I flipped open the phone and put it to my ear._

"_Hel-"_

"_Bella! Jacob is missing."_

"_Sam?" _

"_Jacob is GONE Bella, do you hear me? He is gone! We can't find him in our thoughts and we can't smell him. He is GONE." _

"_No. He can't be….."_

"_Dead? Yeah, why else would I be calling you?"_

"_You think he's dead."_

"_Yes."_

"_He's not dead. He's stronger than that! I'll be there in an hour."_

_No objection sounded from the other end. _

"_Fine." Sam snapped. The line went dead._

"_He's disappeared. Come on, we have to go." I ordered authoritatively. _

"_Bella, n-"_

"_NOW!" _


	14. Morals

Title: Morals

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Jacob's gotten himself into trouble. Bella to the rescue?

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyers owns all mentioned characters

"Bella, relax." Edwards smooth voice attempted to calm me as we sped down the interstate towards the state line.

I was pouting rather severely. My attempts to talk any sense into this action-addicted family were futile. They had all insisted on coming back to La Push with me.

"Why do you guys keep letting me put you in danger?" I scowled.

"Oh Bella, Please." Alice groaned

"No way are you going to save that filthy dogs ass and then have him turn around and kill you because of some stupid treaty." Jasper argued.

Edwards arm merely tightened around my waist in response.

The rest of the ride went by relatively quickly. I fumed in the backseat as Alice and Edward made fun of my temper and Jasper tried his hardest to calm me down. I found myself to be much more resistant to Jasper's emotion control when I had so many mixed emotions for him to focus on.

As the surrounding territory grew more and more familiar, I pulled out my phone and dialed Sam's number.

"Hello?" Sam said flatly.

"Sam, have you found him?"

"No, Bella. Things don't look good. Its pointless for you to even bother coming here. We can't find him and you wont be much help, I'm sure."

"Shut up Sam. We'll be there in ten minutes."

"_WE!?_" He moaned. "Bella, you're not bringing all of them here are you!?"

"We're helping!" I shouted and snapped the phone shut.

"Jasper," I addressed him as calmly as I could. "The pack is somewhat less than amused that we are all coming there, you might need to stop focusing on me so much and start focusing on the large pack of werewolves that blame us for Jacob's disappearance."

He nodded.

We pulled into Billy's driveway to find a large, unhappy group of absurdly large native teenagers. The pack, I noted, had grown. The Volvo containing Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie, and Emmet pulled in behind us.

"Keep Billy in the house." Edward ordered Sam, "Bella has poor resistance to human blood yet."

We had stopped to hunt a short distance out of Denali, but even with a full stomach, I could still smell the temptation of human blood everywhere. My adrenaline was keeping me focused on our purpose of being here, though. I maintained a decent and surprising resistance.

The pack remained frozen in place, staring at me in disgust. They surveyed my different features, lingering for an extended period of time on my blood red eyes. I ignored the heavy scrutiny and sniffed the air casually. Ew, they really did stink. I wrinkled my nose in distaste and noticed Edward and Alice exchange an amused glance. I picked apart the different unappealing scents in my head until I found the least distinct and faintest one. Jacob.

I sniffed harder. My mind raced forward into the woods. As I focused in on the scent, it grew stronger to me and mingled with others. Vampires.

"He's alive." I concluded.

"You can't know that." Embry growled defensively.

"Yes I can." I countered, "I have a freakishly sensitive nose. He is alive, but unconscious. They haven't killed him yet, but I don't know why."

"How many?" Alice suggested.

"8."

"We can take them." Leah sneered. "Thanks for the help, Bella. You might want to get out of here now before Sam comes to his senses and lets us tear you apart." Sarcasm was heavy in her voice.,

I felt Edward tense beside me.

"No, Leah. I am here to help save Jacob. You wont find him on your own anyways, he's 40 miles away, easily."

"Jacob doesn't want to see you, Bella!" She spat. "And I don't blame him. This is your fault."

"No!" Edward roared. "This is no ones fault but Jacob's. He opened his mouth and got himself in trouble. There are rules about keeping vampires a secret from the rest of the world. If you mess with those rules, you pay the price. Jacob was the one who told Bella _and Charlie. The law caught up to him. The Volturi-"_

"_What the hell is a Volturi?" Quil demanded in frustration. _

_I jumped in before Edward let himself get any more worked up. "The Volturi, Quil, are the vampire family who makes the rules and enforce them. They are the most deadly and powerful vampire coven in the world and they are the ones who are after your loud mouth friend. They are who we are fighting against for Jacob's sake right now, no matter how much trouble it gets us into. So if we are done chatting about who to blame now, I would like to go save Jacob's ass now, thank you very much!" I was as shocked at my own temper as they were. Werewolf and vampire alike stood gaping at my outburst from all around me. I ignored their reactions and stomped off into the direction of the forest. _

_Still fuming, I gave myself over to the speed that I had been reborn for. I burst through the tangled branches and began calculating my route. I heard the wolves, no longer in their human forms, crashing along behind me and sensed the vampires noiselessly traveling beside me. We ran for close to 30 minutes. Tensing more with each step. I kept Jacob's scent in my nose constantly, not willing to let it disappear. As we grew closer, I sensed the enemies alertness to us and Jacobs scent grew farther away. Newborns, I concluded silently. They could run faster than everyone here… Everyone, but me. _

_I ran through the options quickly in my head. I had never fought before, I had no clue how to go about it.. But they were newborns also, how much more experienced could they be? I would run ahead and slow them down until the rest could catch up and help. It was our only chance. _

_I decidedly picked up my pace and left everyone behind me. _

"_Bella, wait!" Edward called out._

"_No, they are too fast. This is the only way." I spoke calmly, not wanting to give away the nerves I was battling. _

"_Bella, no! Its too dangerous!" Alice's far off voice called out._

_As I sped forward, their protesting shouts grew more distant until they were nothing but a echo in my memory. I exercised my speed fully and pushed my limits. Finally, I could see them, 8 of them struggling to surpass me. They may have been a match for me if their precious cargo hadn't been slowing them down. The largest of the newborns had a tied-up and unconscious Jacob slung carelessly over his shoulder. The 7 foot Jacob was a very heavy load and the vampire was struggling to keep up his speed. The other 7 vampires circled around him, urging him on, not willing to leave behind their target. _

_I had a brief memory of an old Nintendo game as one by one the newborns veered off of their path and came at me. I had an easy job of weaving and dodging until they began attacking two at a time. I could smell their positions, speeds, and directions, and calculate their attacks long before they were played out. I jumped out of the way as a large female vampire that was coming directly at me collided with the vampire that had been "sneaking up" from behind. They tangled in a mass of marble skin behind me as I landed my jump stealthily and continued to pursue Jacob's captors. My backup was only 2 minutes away, less- even, if I could slow down their progress a little more. I gained on them even more and 3 of them came at me this time. I leapt off of the ground and planted my feet momentarily on a tree trunk before springing easily to the ground in front of my attackers. They braked and wheeled around, now behind me - chasing me. Now there were only two vampires between myself and Jacob. The one large male whose vivid, intensely red eyes were horribly intimidating was straining with the effort of keeping a decent distance between myself and the unresponsive figure over his shoulder. His only remaining companion was a small female with wild, frightened eyes and long black hair. I understood immediately what Jacob had meant by "Zombies". They seemed controlled by something outside of themselves. The fear in their eyes was not their own. _

_I was only feet away from Jacob when the female unexpectedly spun and collided with me. We both fell to the ground, but I was quicker to get up. I attempted to shoot past her, but her teeth grazed my arm and I felt a large gash burning angrily where her teeth had contacted. _

"_Damnit." I cussed as I kicked out a leg to meet her jaw with an unhealthy crunch. She squealed in anger and lunged at me again. Before she was able to greet me with her fury a second time, though, Edward appeared out of nowhere and tackled her to the ground. Her wild spasmodic attacks were no match for Edwards premeditated and well practiced methods. In no time she lay in pieces on the forest floor. Beyond her, I could see the rest of the Cullens and all of the werewolves enjoying themselves with the other 6 vampires that I had left behind me. _

_Jacob. Where was Jacob? I began running again. The large male was still pressing forward, enraged now that his defense team had been picked off. _

_I gained on him faster this time. His endurance was wearing thin and his speed was decreasing. With a roar of fury he tossed Jacob off to the side where he collided with a tree with a heavy thud and fell, lifeless, to the ground. I skidded to a halt as the large vampire faced me viciously. The frantic fire in his eye was unnatural and frightening. A low snarl ripped from his lips as he charged at me. I judged his speed and his timing perfectly. Just as his fist shot towards my neck, I ducked slightly to the side and grabbed his arm in my vice like grip and wrenched him off of his feet. He flipped through the air and landed on his back in front of me, his arm still in my hand. I instinctively pressed my foot to his shoulder and forcefully twisted his arm around until the sickening ripping sound notified me that his arm had come successfully unattached. _

_I got too cocky and proud and took a moment to revel in my achievement. He took the opportunity to jump back to his feet with a growl of rage and tackle me effortlessly to the ground. I felt two or three of my ribs buckle beneath the pressure and I realized that I would not have any time to let them heal. I winced through the pain and kicked the frenzied vampire forcibly off of me and into a tree a few feet away. I was on my feet at the same time as he was and we faced each other again. He made the move and another snarl escaped his lips as he came at me. I ducked away and swung my leg around in a wide circle, knocking his legs from beneath him. As the ground rushed up to meet him, I shot out my hand and latched onto his remaining arm. I screamed in pain at my protesting ribs as I flung him across the clearing against another tree. A howl of pain escaped him before he had even collided with the tree. I looked down to find his other arm dangling from my tight grip. Alice and Edward appeared out of the trees looking no worse for the wear. Alice gaped widely at the large gash in my forearm as Edward looked astonishingly at the arm-less vampire struggling to stand against the tree. Snapping to, both Alice and Edward stepped forward to finish dismembering the newborn that I had been fighting as I slid to the ground clutching my ribs. _

_I felt no need to participate in the proper disposal of the limbs and body parts. Carlisle ordered me to rest while they gathered the dead vampires and threw them in the fire. He assured me that my ribs and arm should heal in about 20 minutes. He was right, as always. _

"_How do you feel?" Edward approached me cautiously._

"_I'm fine." I promised him. "Where's Jacob." I followed his eyes across the clearing where Sam and Embry were untying him roughly. I met Edward's eyes questioningly. _

"_He's alive." He promised._


	15. Appreciation

Title: Appreciation

Rating: PG

Summary: Jacob is an ungrateful little twerp who has gotten Charlie in alootttt of trouble.

Disclaimer: Steph Meyers owns characters.

"How are your ribs, Bella?" Carlisle touched my shoulder gently.

"I'm fine." I stood effortlessly and crossed the clearing to where Embry and Sam were trying to bring Jacob back to consciousness without much gentility. They shook his shoulders and pummeled him across the face a few times. I approached slowly, not yet sure of their reaction to me now that I was no longer a necessity to them. They both looked up at me with eyes full of uncertainty and indecisive confusion.

"Do you mind?" I gestured towards Jacob, asking permission to approach him.

They slowly stood, seeming to deliberately make no sudden movements. I realized with a start that they were…….afraid of me.

I crouched beside Jacob. His eyes were half closed and his breathing was labored. Carlisle said that he would be alright. His broken bones were almost entirely healed, but his unconsciousness was not something that his quick healing could speed up the progression of. The only thing that we could do for him now would be to get him safely back home.

Embry and Sam watched me cautiously as I slid my arms beneath him and lifted him, but they didn't object. He stank awfully, and he really was heavy. I had a brief memory of the big vampire struggling under his weight and grimaced with understanding. I was overly cautious to not touch his skin. The temperature was searing hot even through the fabric of his clothing. Even hotter to me now, I noted, than when I was a human.

"Lets get him back." I ordered as calmly as I could.

"Bella," Edward's voice came from behind me. "I don't think that's such a good idea. Billy-"

"Edward, I'm fine. I wont touch Billy. I smell humans everywhere, I'm handling this." It was true. I could smell traces of humans everywhere and my tracker instincts were telling me to pursue the appealing scents, but my morals and conscience were keeping me focused on the task at hand.

Edward's eyes were full of disbelief and worry, but he allowed it and suppressed any further arguments. I looked around the clearing at the many pairs of eyes scrutinizing me, waiting for me to make a move. I began to run, slowly… staggering under Jacob's weight. We ran in silence for a long time, no one speaking. Edward ran loyally at my left side and everyone else trailed shortly behind, keeping pace with me. Sam was the first to speak. He crept up on my right side and pulled me out of my thoughts.

"That was a very brave thing you did, Bella." He didn't return my gaze as I turned to look at him.

"Thank you, Sam."

"I… uh….was very impressed by your talent at tracking. Jacob owes you….. I mean, we, all of us, owe you Jacob's life."

I gulped. I had not expected this kind of graciousness, from Sam especially. I nodded in acknowledgment, not knowing what else to say. He retreated to his position among his pack.

"He's right you know." Edward spoke, "You kicked ass today, Bella. I was shocked at your instinct and talent in a head to head battle."

"I know. Its very out of character for me to be good at something." I mocked lightly.

"No, Bella, you know that's not what I meant. You saved his life today. If it weren't for your fast thinking and impulsive actions, we wouldn't have caught him and Jacob would probably be dead or in the hands of the Volturi right now."

"I know." I turned my head down to stare at the limp figure in my arms. I felt suddenly hostile and angry at Jacob's stupidity and wondered what on earth had possessed me to save his ass after all he had put me through the past two months.

"Dumbass." I muttered grudgingly under my breath.

Edward chuckled openly, clearly pleased with my lack of sympathy for Jake.

We reached the lawn twenty minutes later to find Billy pacing eagerly along the driveway. Luckily for him, he had spent so much time around the pack that he even smelled as repulsively as they did.

A genuine look of shock crossed his face when he saw me carrying Jacob, and his reaction grew only more severe when he noticed the Cullens mixed in the with the pack emerging from the trees behind us. He shook his head from side to side to focus his thoughts as I approached him with Jacob in my arms.

"He's alive." I answered his unasked question.

He responded my nodding in relief and opening the door for me so that I could carry Jacob inside. I needed no further direction, I knew my way to his room. I struggled momentarily with his door handle before letting myself into the bedroom. It was just as I remember, nothing had changed. I laid him cautiously onto the bed. My hand brushed briefly against his skin and I winced at the contact. His skin was searing hot to the touch and I flinched and withdrew my hand hurriedly. As if I had electrocuted him through the contact, he gasped loudly and his eyes flew open and locked onto my own.

A multitude of emotions flew across his previously vacant face as he soaked in every detail of my presence.

"Am I dead?" He frowned.

"No, regrettably, you will survive." I joked halfheartedly.

"Why are you here, then…."

"To save your ass." I raised my eyebrows.

"Leave." He broke eye contact abruptly.

I paused for a moment. I had expected this. I had prepared myself to be banished like this, I just didn't expect it to sting so badly.

"Fine." I let the resentment creep into my voice as I spun on my heal and made a fast exit, slamming the door behind me.

I was greeted outside by a very tense and uncomforting environment.

"How is he?" Billy stared at the ground as he spoke.

"Fine." I snapped. "In fact, he is fine enough to be an ungrateful little twerp and banish me without thanks. We'll leave you all alone now, I'm sorry to intrude. I'll be more considerate next time I come here with the intention of saving someone's life." Sarcasm dripped off of every word. I wasn't trying to hide that I was hurt. I was angry and upset with Jacob. He had the nerve to betray my trust and treat me so ungratefully when I generously rescued his undeserving ….. I let the thought trail off, not wanting to allow my temper to flare up any more.

"Lets go." I ordered authoritatively as I stomped off of the porch and in the direction of the cars. Edwards strong arms caught me and spun me around to face the crowd that I had been fleeing. Jacob appeared in the doorway that I had just left and stared out at us with fury in his eyes.

"Why are you here!" He directed the question at the entirety of the Cullen family.

I expected Alice or Edward to be the ones to deliver the response to him, but instead it was Sam who spoke up. "They are here because Bella was the only one capable of saving your life." He scowled back menacingly.

"Then you should have let me die." Jacob growled darkly.

I closed my eyes and erased all of my emotion. I felt a dark pit in my stomach threatening to engulf me completely, but I refused to break down in front of Jacob. I would not let him see that he had won. I forced myself to go completely numb.

"Lets go, NOW." I hissed through my clenched teeth.

Edward through Jacob a dark glance and led me to the Volvo. The rest of the Cullens fell behind and in moments we were speeding out of the driveway, leaving the pack in a cloud of dust.

Alice began grumbling something about "ungrateful mongrels" and ranted endlessly from the passengers seat. I stopped listening and focused on erasing my emotions entirely.

"Bella? Did you hear me?" Alice ordered my attention back to her.

"No, Sorry, what?"

"I said that they released Charlie from the hospital today. He will be arriving home soon."

"How soon?" I asked.

"Hang on, I'll see." She stiffened and sat perfectly still as the disconnected look filtered her eyes like she always did when she consulted the future. Edwards eyes closed simultaneously and he read her visions as they appeared to her.

Their body language mirrored each others. Both of them immediately snapped around to face each other with panic and fear in their eyes.

"What!?" Jasper frowned.

They remained silent.

"GUYS!" He protested. " I could cut the panic in this car with a knife! What's going on?!"

Still- No response.

"Edward!" I yelled.

"If you two don't start talking right now…." Jasper growled. "Don't make me stop this car!"

Alice's mouth opened slightly. "Charlie." She whispered.

"WHAT!? What about Charlie!?" I shrieked.

More silence.

They were unreliable and annoyingly unhelpful to me. I decided to depend on my own senses. I shut my eyes and focused on my nose. Charlie's scent was only 10 miles from us, I caught it easily. There were other scents too, I realized. One very recognizable one.

"Jane." I gasped. "NO!"

"Jasper, get to Charlie's house - _now!"_ Alice shouted.

The car gained speed and lurched violently forward.

"What does she want with Charlie?!" I sobbed.

"He knows too much, same as you did." Edward whispered.

"She wont kill him, will she?" Jasper gasped.

"If we don't make it in time- yes." Alice sounded horrified.

My whole world was crashing around me. First Jacob, now this. What more could go wrong? I leaned my head back against the headrest and focused on retaining consciousness.


	16. Ultimatum

Chapter 16

Ultimatum

"NO!" I shouted as I burst through the familiar front door.

Jane wheeled around from her position at Charlie's throat, her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of me. Charlie collapsed to the ground, shaking in fear, his eyes wide with horror.

"You know the rules." Jane snarled. Hunger lacing every one of her features as she eyed Edward, Alice, Jasper, and Myself. "He knows too much, he can't live. We cannot be revealed."

"Leave him alone." I growled deliberately.

"Ohh, Bella…. You may have been able to save your little werewolf buddy, but you're not getting away with this one." She mocked. "If I had the patience to deal with the awful stench, I would go off him myself, but its just not worth it. Your father on the other hand has a distinctively pleasing aroma…"

"Don't." I set my jaw firmly, preparing to spring if she made any movement towards him.

Her eyes became alive with a glint of cruelty as she flicked her gaze to Edward. Edward let out a moan of agony and collapsed to the floor beside me.

"STOP!" I shrieked!

Edwards pain ceased as her vile laughter filled the room and she broke her contact with his mind.

"Bella, Bella… I thought you were smarter than this. The Volturi aren't ones for making deals and making exceptions…. Unless of course you are one of us." She smiled deviously.

Esme, Rosalie, Emmett and Carlisle burst through the door behind us at that moment - their eyes wide with panic as they surveyed the situation.

"Carlisle, pity you had to arrive." Jane frowned. "I did so hope to keep our dignity in your eyes at least."

"Jane, leave Charlie out of this." He pleaded softly.

"I'm afraid that I can't do that." She denied. "Unless of course you want to take him on as a vampire also…"

"Leave him alone." I growled again.

"No? Bella doesn't want parental supervision again?" She chuckled coldly. "It seems he is not such an asset to you after all."

"Jane, this is a bad idea." Esme stepped forward. "Charlie is the police chief. His disappearance would be followed by an extensive search and investigation. If your purpose here is to protect our existence from mortal knowledge, you would be farther ahead to leave him alive and save yourself the trouble."

"Oh, silly Esme. You know perfectly well how capable I am of fabricating the evidence and placing false leads. I would have no problem concealing Charlie's death." She gestured behind her to my father. Charlie was sitting upright on the ground, looking more frightened than any human being ever should. He was practicing slow breathing techniques to calm his already weak heart.

A strong pang of guilt ripped through me and I snarled viciously. "Jane, why are you doing this!?"

"What, Bella… my job?" She sneered heartlessly. "The way I see it….. You have two choices. Choice A, I take Charlie now and your husband and…. Say we throw the boyfriends life in too…. Jacob and Edward can live, or Charlie can live. Your choice dear." Her eyes flicked to Edward again - sending him into another spasm of pain on the ground beside me.

A dry sob escaped me. How did this come to be? I went from being happily married with everything I ever wanted in front of me to standing in a house full of vampires being forced to decide between my husbands life and my fathers.

"Bella, just let me die."

The tortured voice came from behind Jane's small body. Charlie's eyes were full of compassion and fear. "Just let me die, Bella. You have eternity ahead of you, you have all you need with Edward. Don't waste it on me." He choked weakly.

"No." I closed my eyes. "This is not a decision I will make."

"Really?" Jane smirked. "Well, I guess that gives me full rights to make the decision for you."

"That gives you rights to nothing!" I screamed. "You're a sick evil bitch and you will not dictate me like this!"

Her melodic laugh echoed through the kitchen. "What are you going to do, Bella? Kill me?"

"You are outnumbered." I said pointedly.

Another evil smile played across her lips. "We'll see." She whispered.

I was mildly confused at her confidence for a moment. The area was clear. All vampires in a 40 mile radius were in this house, she had come alone.

She answered my confusion by closing her eyes and wrinkling her brow in concentration. All around me my family collapsed. Writhing on the ground, paralyzed with pain, they were rendered immediately useless to me.

"Now, Bella." She opened her black eyes again. "You were saying?"

Every fiber of my being wanted nothing more than to just rip her head off, but the more sensible part of me knew that she outwitted me. It wouldn't be like fighting an inexperienced newborn, it would be like fighting Edward. Fear welled in my stomach as I looked at the poised and arrogant vampire before me. Angry as I was, I new my chances were limited. But stepping back and looking at the situation.. What other choice did I have? I would not make the decision between the lives.. Or existences of the people I loved the most. What else was there but to fight?

My mind then ran through the consequences. I could die, that was the first and worst consequence. On the bright side, I wouldn't have to make any choices, but its what I would leave behind that would be the real consequence. But if I were to mysteriously kick her ass, what would the Volturi do to avenge her? She was after all one of their most valued members, right?

All I had was to fight her. This time, I was the heroine and Edward needed me. I had been staring at him the entire time I had been contemplating my choices. His angelic face was pledged with so much agony. His features contorted into a heart wrenching display of pure torture. His eyes, fixed onto mine, begged me not to do what he knew I was going to do. He was afraid, but not for himself or his family… he was afraid for me.

"If the only way you can win is to paralyze my family - you're not worth beating." I snarled.

"Then who is it, Bella? Who do you value more?" She pressed.

A scream from Alice behind me forced me to turn once more. Alice and Jasper were clinging to each other on the ground. Pain covering their faces. Emmett and Rosalie were together too, as were Esme and Carlisle. Edward was alone. I turned to Charlie, curled on the ground in the same tortured expressions. This was my fault, it was up to me to stop it.

"I said it wouldn't be worth it to fight you, I didn't say it was unnecessary." The words ripped out of me with as much anger as I could produce as I sprang forward to meet her deadly attack.

She grinned madly as she dodged my attack and slammed her heavy fist into my back, sprawling me across the kitchen and into a wall.

I needed to do better than that.

She shrieked as she dove for me again, I rolled out of the way and lifted my foot to deliver a loaded kick to her head but her fast hand met my foot in the air and her fingers curled around my ankle deliberately. A slight twitch of her wrist flung me across the room. I managed to compose myself shortly before colliding with the ground and I writhed around quickly and landed in a catlike crouch. I breathed deeply and collected her identity through my nose. Eyes still closed, I sensed her approach. She flew through the air, aiming her foot at my chest as she neared. A split second before contact, I whirled around quickly, gaining momentum. I caught her foot securely with both hands just in front of my chest and flung her haphazardly into the staircase. The crunch of wood and bone echoed through the house and I tried to distinguish how injured she was. The answer was apparent as she shot out of the pile of wooden debris and tackled me again to the ground. I wrenched my feet up to my chest as I was hurled through the air and kicked out powerfully, catching her shoulders and effectively buying me some time.

I needed to get a big enough advantage over her to break her concentration on the minds of my family, then all I needed was to deny her any opportunity to regain her concentration, at least then I could have partial advantage from the tortured figures surrounding me.

I landed on my back and sprang up immediately. My whole body was sore but I fought through the pain.

She leapt at me again, I ducked out of her way, but a moment too slowly. Her teeth met my shoulder and A cried out as a searing pain tore through me. Her aim had been to rip off my arm, as I had done to the large vampire who had taken Jacob captive, my semi-escape had prevented her teeth from entirely permeating my flesh.

I scrambled back to my feet and jumped backwards as she flew at me again.

She skidded to a halt and turned to face me again.

"How much longer, Bella? You know you are no match for me. Is Charlie's life really worth this effort? He's only human, after all. His life holds no more promise."

"Shut up." I growled.

"Even Edward isn't worth all of this." She grinned. "You could be so much better without him. He is not as valuable as he has made you believe."

Without knowing it, she had sealed her own fate with her words.

With a scream of fury I launched my entire body forward at Jane. She moved to escape me but I anticipated her decision and made an adjustment to my direction and caught her full on. I sunk my nails into her throat and left angry gashes along her jaw line. The force of my attack knocked her backwards into the countertop and in a moment I had retrieved the butcher knife from the sink and thrust it through her back. She gasped in shock and her eyes glazed from black to red.

"Bella!" Charlie gasped.

I looked around. The butcher knife in my hand had placed an end to her concentration. Now I had to maintain her incapability to focus.

As the Cullens began staggering to their feet, her wild eyes darted around to each of them, sending wild spasms of pain every which way. Her concentration was not steady enough to place another solid hold over them. Attacks began flying at her from every direction. Jasper, Alice, and Esme first - tearing at her viciously with their hands and teeth. When a crippling glare from Jane halted their efforts - Edward, Carlisle, Rosalie, and Emmett took up the battle.

With my nonstop attacks combined with the shifting attacks from the rest of the family, Jane was finished in moments. Charlie had fainted - a fact I was pleased with. It was unnecessary for him to witness the battle taking place in his kitchen. And it wasn't until the flames in the fireplace had filled the house with the sickening stench of burning flesh that I gave in to weakness. I fell back into Edwards waiting arms shaking sobbing dryly. My entire body ached and my thoughts ran wild.

What now? What would we face now?

More of the Volturi? Charlie's failing heart being made even more endangered by the traumatic experience he had just been through? My perfect life had crashed into oblivion around me and I was helplessly forced to watch it.

"Bella," Edward breathed against my neck. "Everything's going to be okay."

And for the first time in my life, I doubted him.


	17. Guilt

Title: Guilt

Rating: PG-13 Mild violence and language.

Summary: A lot of talking post Jane's extinction. Jacob gets told off.

Disclaimer: As always, credit for characters goes to Stephenie Meyers.

I don't remember how long we had been laying, staring at the familiar surroundings of my bedroom. Carlisle and Alice were tending to Charlie and everyone else was repairing the damage done by the earlier commotion.

Edward held my head against his chest and ran his hand absent mindedly up and down my back sending a constant stream of shivers down my spine.

I let my thoughts wander . I hadn't been able to stop worrying about the consequences to my actions since the fire had died 5 hours ago. I had just been the main cause of the massacre of one of the Volturi's biggest assets. Would that now result in the extermination of the Cullen family at my expense? I wondered idly if I would be able to convince Aro that Jane's demise was my fault and take the punishment myself I had put this family through so much already.

Also tugging at the frayed edges of my mind was the pending conversation with Charlie. I had a lot of explaining to do to his weak heart. And then, Jacob. All of this was brought on by him. Charlie's life had been endangered twice by his loud mouth…but then, was it his fault, or was it really my own? Why not , I decided. Everything else was my fault, why not this too?

"Bella?" Edward spoke softly.

"Yes?"

"I love you." His voice was pained.

"I love you too…" I turned in his arms to face him.

"I'm so sorry that this all happened to you." He apologized.

I let my hand flutter up to his face and placed a finger over his lips to silence him. "What do you have to be sorry about?" I frowned. "This is all my fau-"

"No, Bella. You need to stop blaming yourself for this." He cupped my face in his hands and forced eye contact. "If anyone is to blame it is me. My very presence caused this. If it weren't for me, you would be having a happily ever after as a mortal with Jac-"

"Stop it." I ordered harshly. "You know you are all I want. You're the only thing I will ever want. Its _me _who should be sorry."

"_You_ have nothing to be sorry about." He whispered as he pressed his lips to my forehead.

"The Volturi." I reminded him. "They will be after us for what we…..for what _I _did."

"Even if that is true, they have rules working for us. No member of the Volturi can attack another vampire unless its in self defense, for starters. Jane clearly attacked all of us first. Add blackmail and threats to that and I would say that we have a pretty decent case against her. It's also pretty suspicious that she came here without any company or protection at all. Something is going on.." He frowned, deep in thought. "We should be fine."

"Should." I muttered pointedly.

"Hey," He said sternly as he lifted my chin to catch my eyes." What you did today was very brave."

"And stupid…."

"No, Bella. Do you even understand how many lives you saved today? I don't just mean Charlie. I mean me, and Alice, everyone here in this house is still here because of your bravery. Jacob too."

"And its also due to my _bravery_ that we are going to be in huge trouble with the Volturi."

"Don't worry about them, Bella you did what was necessary to save us."

"And I was too stupid to find a way with less consequence."

"There was no lesser consequence, Bella. Jane lied to you. She wasn't going to let any of us leave that house alive, including you. You never had a choice, she saw us as dead in her mind the moment we walked through the door. She knew that with the proper concentration she could have killed us with her mind alone. If you hadn't broken her concentration - we would have been dead in less than a minute."

I felt my eyes drop in embarrassment, and even without the tell-tale flush in my cheeks he could tell.

"Bella you have nothing to regret or be sorry for here. You are the heroine."

I rolled my eyes. "Not to Jacob I'm not. I'm pretty sure Charlie thinks I'm a heartless savage monster now too."

"No he doesn't. He is proud of you. Almost as proud as me. You can go talk to him as soon as he wakes up."

"Not without you please?" I let my panic slip into my voice. "I need you there. All today I have managed to resist focusing on the smell of blood because I have had so much else to focus on….. I don't want-"

"Say no more." He nodded. "I'm there."

Content for the moment, I rested my head against his chest and breathed in his heavenly scent.

"You were so brave today." He sighed.

"I was so scared." I admitted.

"Me too, Bella, me too."

The door creaked open

"What is it Alice?" Edward asked. "What! Where did she go!?"

"WHO!?" I yelped. I hated it when they did that to me.

"Rosalie. I don't know, I went to look for her and she's gone… I searched in my head and she's….. she's disappeared."

"No." I breathed. My first thought was the Volturi. Were they already here, picking us off one by one…..

"Bella, can you find her?" Alice turned to me.

"Oh, yeah.. I'll try." I had forgotten about my power momentarily.

I closed my eyes and focused on my nose. I latched on to Rosalie's scent.

"She's alive. She's…… she's on her way back now. She'll be here in about 5 minutes." I frowned. "She stinks too."

"Where the hell…."

"She was with Jacob." I gasped. "But why on earth…."

"Lets go." Edward slid out of bed and pulled me along behind him.

We reached the bottom of the stairs just as Rosalie entered.

Her eyes full of apologies, she surrendered with her hands in the air. "He had to know what he caused." She placed her hands on my shoulders. "And I owe you an apology. You did something remarkable for this family today, and I have been treating you awfully for the very thing that let you save our lives. I'm sorry Bella." This was the first she had acknowledged me since the change. "I had to do something, I couldn't let someone else treat you as awfully as I had. You sacrificed a lot for him and he needed to know it." Without further explanation she departed across the room to Emmett's waiting arms.

"You smell." He teased.

"What did she say?" I turned to Edward.

"Lets just say that Jacob has now been introduced to a part of Rosalie that I hope you never have to witness. She can be downright terrifying when she wants to be." He chuckled.

Realizing that he would say no more on the topic, I turned my attention to the flawless kitchen. Not only had they completely repaired everything… they had also cleaned it.

"Bella," Edward sighed as he pulled me into his chest.

"Yes?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to hug you." He smiled.

I smiled back and stretched up on my tip toes to plant a light kiss on his nose.

Suddenly, I took a step back… sniffed the air and scowled.

"What is it? What?" He sniffed also but came up short of any conclusion.

"Jacob."

He sniffed again and chuckled. "Don't kill him. Rose already made him cry once today."

"I wont kill him." I promised, "But I can't say that I wont punch him in the face."

"Oh, by all means, inflict as much damage as possible. Knock the kid on his ass. He deserves it. I've seen your right hook, it's a thing to be feared." He winked.

"No more broken bones." I smiled.

"Not for you, anyways. Not in this case." He grinned my favorite half smile.

"He's not coming in." He directed me towards the front door.

"Come out with me." I grabbed his hand and pulled him along. He wasn't going to miss this.

I met Jacob at the foot of the stairs. His hands were in his pockets and he was studying the ground intently.

"What do you want?" I snarled.

"Is it true?" He mumbled incoherently.

"What?

"The blonde one. Was it true what she said?"

"Jacob, in order for me to confirm anything, don't I need at least a basic knowledge of what was said..?" I sighed heavily.

He hesitated, obviously not looking forward to relaying the details.

"She said…. She said that you almost died saving me and that if you hadn't been there no one else would have been able to find me and I would have been killed…." He paused.

"She also said that you almost died again to save Charlie from the vampire girl who sent those zombies after me because he knew too much and she wanted him dead."

"Oh, so she must have neglected to mention that I was forced to decide between my husband and y father, subjected to watching my entire family be tortured mercilessly in front of me, and that we are now probably the number one targets to the most feared vampire coven in the world?" I snapped icily.

"No, she mentioned that." He winced at the memory. "So its true then?"

"Yes, Jacob."

There was a moment of silence before he spoke again, still staring at the ground. "Why?"

"Because you were my best friend." I scowled. "Even after you treated me like shit."

"You shouldn't have come back here." He whispered. "I'm supposed to kill you, you know. I could….."

"Oh, Jake!" I spat. "I have just as much reason to kill you as you have to kill me. And trust me, I can take care of myself."

"That's not true, you don't know what I'm capable of."

"I know more than you think, Jake."

"Bella, I think you guys should leave. I have to kill you, it's a part of the treaty.."

"_Screw your God damned treaty Jacob!"_ I screamed. "We will leave whenever we feel like it! I have some explaining to do to Charlie."

"I'd say." He scowled. "You gave him a heart attack,"

"NO Jake, YOU gave him a heart attack." I approached him viciously. At the tone of my voice his head snapped forward and met my furious eyes.

"Why couldn't you have just let me be happy!" I shouted.

"Because Edward doesn't deserve you!" He bellowed back. "Because he is such a coward that the only way he could manage to keep you away from me was to change you into the one thing in this world that I despise! And even then he can't keep you away from me. You came running back to save me. It's because you love me Bella, and he knows it!"

My fist flung forward with such force that the noise it made against Jacob's jaw was comparable to the sound of thunder crashing. He stumbled blindly backwards, holding his jaw and staring at me in shock.

"I love my husband." My voice shook violently as I forced back the fury that raged inside of me. "I love him and It was _my _choice to be a vampire. I came back to save you because you_ were_ my friend, Or maybe it was so that I could have a chance to personally kick your ass for putting me through hell these past few months." He flinched. "Regardless, Edward is my husband and I love him, not you."

My words seemed to hurt him more than my fist had.

"You should have just let me die." His voice wavered dangerously as he spoke.

"I'll remember that next time you ungrateful prick." I cursed.

Still holding his jaw, a howl of agony rippled through him and he stumbled clumsily toward the trees and was gone.

"UGH!" I threw my hands in the air and stalked back to the porch to Edward.

"Nice hook." He applauded.

"Thanks." I mumbled.

"Bella, Alice says Charlie wont be awake for another 5 hours."

"That's ok, we can wait." I shrugged.

"You need nourishment, and we need alone time." He pointed out.

"Meadow?" I raised my eyebrow.

"Oh Mrs. Cullen, how well you know me." He grinned_._


	18. Sunrise

Title: Sunrise

Rating: M - smut

Summary: Edward and Bella return to their meadow and Bella has a talk with Charlie

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They are the legal property of Stephenie Meyer

The Volvo rolled to a gentle halt at the end of the familiar dirt road. Edward appeared moments later at the passenger door and lifted me gently out of the seat and set me securely on my feet beside him and held out a hand. I grabbed his hand eagerly and we set off through the trees. The way was much shorter with both of us running, rather than me being on his back. There was no sunlight this time, it was close to midnight. The moon however cast bright beams of light in every direction, illuminating the beautiful clearing in a different shade of blue. Crickets chirped and the wind rustled the grass back and forth gently. We stood still, holding hands, staring at our meadow and calling back fond memories.

Edward suddenly crouched and tackled me playfully into the grass. We landed with a thud on the soft earth and I found myself laughing. I pushed off of the grass and rolled my body against his. He craned his neck up and left a small kiss on my lips. Eager for more, I lowered my face to his and allowed him to envelop me in a passionate kiss. His tongue parted my lips and darted inside of my mouth briefly before he pulled back and attempted to pull me on top of him. I deviously stood and resisted his lead.

I walked away slowly, kicking off my shoes in the process and throwing a sly and seductive glance back at him.

He was behind me in an instant. His strong hands traveled smoothly along my hips and lingered at my thighs as he pressed the contours of his body along my back. I reached up a hand and tangled it in his hair as his lips met my neck and left a trail of kisses down from my jaw to my collarbone. I exhaled at the sensation. His lips stopped abruptly at the collar of my t-shirt.

"Well that wont do." He whispered. "This inconvenient piece of fabric is a nuisance." I giggled and lifted my arms above my head cooperatively as he slid his hands up beneath my shirt and let it slide over my arms easily. I turned to face him and returned the gesture, letting my hands linger on his chest and arms before I removed his shirt completely.

Once freed from the garments his lips found mine in a gentle kiss that transformed quickly to incorporate every ounce of passion and desire in our bodies. I leapt lithely from the ground and wrapped my legs around his waist as we continued our exploration of each others mouths. When he grew tired of standing he lowered us to the ground. Without breaking the kiss once, we undressed each other quickly.

"The way you kicked Jane's ass today and told Jacob off really turned me on." He groaned against my lips.

"mmmmm." I responded. "I guess I will just have to assert my independence more often if this is how I will get rewarded."

He lowered his head and placed a light kiss on my hipbone before tracing a line with his cool tongue all the way up to my jaw. The sensation was magical. My toes curled under and my back arched gracefully as I whispered his name unconsciously.

The wind blew through his hair gently as he resumed his attention at my lips.

"I need you." I whispered against his cheek.

"You have me for forever." He promised. "I will always be right behind you."

"No," I corrected, "I prefer you to be beside me."

"As you wish, Mrs. Cullen." His icy cold breath tickled my ear and sent a chill down my spine as he plunged easily within me. He smiled my favorite half-smile as I inhaled sharply and spoke his name again.

The crickets sang a different lullaby that night as we lay tangled in each others arms, breathless and exhausted. The cool breeze swept over our bare bodies and the moon silhouetted us in a pale light. Again, just as the last time, we stared contentedly into each others eyes. When the sun finally began to rise, Edward pulled me upright and into his lap. He cradled me to his strong body as we watched the first rays of sunlight creep over the tree tops and struggle against the always present rain clouds. I held out my hand and grinned as the light bounced off of my skin and shattered into a million fractionated beads of light. He chuckled softly at my amusement and kissed my forehead. I leaned back against him and surrendered myself to the serenity of the moment until the sun had risen entirely over the tree's and fought to warm our icy skin. The evening with Edward had given me the calm that I needed to get through the next few days.

In the distance, thunder rolled and threatened the morning sun's presence. A storm was brewing, that was for certain. All that was left now was to grab an umbrella and face it as positively as possible.

One look at Edwards smiling face was all I needed to know that I would get through this.

I had to.


	19. Consequence

Title: Consequence

Rating: PG

Summary: Bella explains her choices to Charlie, Alice has a vision of the Volturi.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyers owns all mentioned characters

Safely back at the Swan residence, Edward helped me, again, out of the car. It seemed that he was not yet willing to let go of my former helplessness. I offered no objection as he scooped me into his arms and secured his lips to my own once more. Completely lost in the kiss, I did not notice that we were moving, although that could have been due to the inhuman grace with which he moved. He set me down on my feet in front of the door.

We had stopped to hunt on the way back to the meadow to prepare for my close interaction with Charlie. I could smell him already, and even though I was no longer thirsty, the smell was disgustingly tempting to my weak resistance. As we walked through the front door, the smell became overpowering. I wondered longingly how long it would take for me to be as indifferent to it as Edward, this was borderline torture. The smell had always been present in the house, but now that I had to come face to face with the very core of it, I was concerned.

"No worries." Edward squeezed my shoulders in encouragement as he felt me tense, "I'll be right there."

I nodded weakly and opened the door. Charlie sat stiffly at the kitchen table with Alice and Carlisle. He looked up at Edward and I as we entered. His eyes locked on to my own and grew wide as he surveyed the vivid red around my irises.

"Bella." He breathed.

"Hey dad, how do you feel?" I edged conversationally as I cautiously walked over to the table and took a seat, grimacing at the intense attraction his blood radiated.

" I feel…. Alive." He shrugged.

"Good, lets try to keep it that way." I joked mildly.

An awkward silence followed my statement, finally broken by Alice.

"Well Carlisle, these three have a lot to talk about, lets give them some privacy."

Carlisle nodded his agreement and they exited to the living room to stare vacantly at the morning news and tune in their sensitive ears to our conversation, no doubt.

I focused on not breathing as we continued to sit in the quiet.

"Bella, why didn't you tell me?" Charlie surrendered the silence.

"Dad, you saw what happened. There are rules when someone knows about the existence of vampires. When someone knows too much, they either have to become one of us…. Or…."

"Die." He finished. "Is that why then…." He gestured to me.

"Its part of it." I admitted, " It was also my choice though. I wanted this."

"So that young girl…. Well Carlisle said you don't age so she probably wasn't very young, was she…. But, that young _looking_ girl was definitely here to kill me, then?"

"Yes."

"And you all saved me."

"No, Charlie," Edward stepped in, "Bella saved you."

Charlie nodded again, deep in thought.

"And there will be more…. After me…. Trying to kill me?"

"Not if we can stop it." I promised.

"But…. I'm basically doomed then, right?"

"No," Edward supplied, "We have a pretty decent idea that you will live a full human life and die when the time is right."

"How can you be sure…" He asked doubtfully.

"Well… We all have our different talents as vampires. Alice's talent happens to be the capability of seeing into the future." He elaborated no further into anyone else's talents. Probably, I guessed, because he didn't see it as necessary to explain his mind reading to Charlie.

"Oh, I see." He thought some more before raising another question. "So….the reason you guys left was because I couldn't know about Bella being a……" He struggled with the word. "A vampire?"

"Basically." I nodded.

"So now that I know…..you guys can move back, right?"

"Not exactly - I… we…" I stopped. Did Jake tell Charlie about the werewolves too, or did he just reveal the vampire part?

"There are others that would recognize Bella." Edward stepped in. "They would eventually realize that she was not aging…. It just can't happen." I threw him a grateful glance.

"Oh." Charlie acknowledged. Another long pause, then - "Do you really drink blood?" He was suddenly full of childlike curiosity.

"Only animal blood." Edward responded.

I winced and resumed my attention to my feet.

"Its our way of life." Edward continued, "We are few of the rare vampires in the world who resist human blood and leave it out of our lifestyle completely."I guess that's a good thing… otherwise my life would be in sever danger right now."

I winced again.

"Bella, being so new to how we live is still in the early stages of resistance, so its harder for her. It will always be hard, but it gets easier in time." He continued unnecessarily. I didn't want him to scare Charlie, but Charlie seemed entirely fascinated.

"So you're saying that my daughter is struggling to resist killing me right now?"

"Yes. But she is handling it very well." He beamed.

"Was It hard for you when she was human?" Charlie asked.

"Harder than imaginable." Edward nodded.

"Well, you must love her a lot then."

"With everything I am, sir."

I surely would have been blushing at this moment if I had been able to.

"Is there anything else I should know, Bella? Is your mom a witch or something?" He joked.

"No dad, I'm still the only freak of the family." I assured him.

He chuckled lightly and then frowned again, thinking hard.

"So now what?" He inquired.

"Now we deal with the people who sent Jane here." I sighed. "I'm sure they'll be looking for a chat sometime soon."

"Are you guys going to leave?"

"Soon," Edward nodded. "We'll leave soon."

It was nearly noon at this point.

"You want some breakfast dad?" I stood and began busying myself in the kitchen without waiting for his response. I had to do something to keep my mind off of the blood rushing through Charlie's veins and demanding my attention.

Once Charlie's breakfast had been made, he sat gratefully at the table and ate while I joined the rest of the family in the living room to discuss the matter of our seemingly doomed fates.

"I've been monitoring the Volturi." Alice began, "And I must say that I honestly don't see anything to worry about."

"Do they know that we killed Jane?" Rosalie frowned.

"Well… no." Alice admitted.

"Obviously then you can't know if we're safe or not." Emmett pointed out.

"Okay, I'll give you the basics of what I understand so far." She settled herself into a comfortable position on the couch and began a very detailed description of her visions of the Volturi.

"My visions are basically centering around Caius and Aro. They have been doing a lot of private talking lately. From what I can comprise out of it all, Michelle let slip to them about the army of Zombies Jane asked her to create and they were very displeased. Now, I don't know why they wouldn't know about it…"

A confused murmur ran through her intently listening audience.

"Something, I don't know what yet, but something else was going on with Jane that had the whole of the Volturi on edge. They began sending her on suicide missions, trying to dispose of her without technically getting their hands dirty. When they found out about Jacob, they saw a perfect opportunity. What better way to get rid of a vampire by sending her after a member of a very large pack of werewolves?"I found myself nodding with the rest of them as I took it all in. It made sense.

"Well, Jane was smart enough to not take a chance with the group of werewolves, I guess.."

"That could have something to do with the fact that her mind torture didn't work on them." Rosalie stepped in.

We all turned to look at her.

"Oops. I guess I forgot to mention that." She shrugged, "When I went to talk to Jacob, I also had a brief word with the leader of them, Sam… I think. Anyways, he said that Jane had come around once and then screamed about some kind of inconsistent and inconvenient resistance and took off running.. They basically though she was mad and ignored it, but I guess it must have meant that they could resist her just like Bella could."

"Oh, so when she realized that her existence was in danger by this mission she hired some help." I thought out loud.

"Yes," Alice nodded, "That must be it. But how does that explain Charlie? Aro and Caius never instructed her to get rid of him."

"I can put that puzzle piece in place I think." Edward offered, "When we first entered this house, her thoughts were not centered around getting rid of Charlie, they were focused on getting rid of _us_. I believe that Charlie was her bait to get us here, that way she thought she could take care of all of us and then have another go at getting rid of Jacob once we weren't there to save him."

"She wasn't banking on Bella beating the shit out of her though." Emmett chuckled.

"Why wouldn't she just give up?" I shook my head in confusion.

"You don't give up when you're a member of the Volturi. You either succeed in your duty or you die trying."

I grimaced. "Why on earth would that appeal to anyone?"

"Bella, most vampires don't have a respectable lifestyle and a family to depend on like us. Most are nomads that just run around killing humans, to them… the Volturi is an appealing group to be a part of."

I shuddered at the thought.

Alice suddenly stiffened.

"Vision." We all murmured.

She continued to sit abruptly still with her eyes closed for about 20 long minutes until Charlie walked in unknowingly.

"Hey, gu-" He stopped short when he caught sight of the eight silent and still focusing figures in he had interrupted. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Alice's eyes flew open. "Well they know now."

"Sorry?" Charlie looked confused.

"No, no, not you Charlie." She waved him off with a smile. Turning back to us she continued. "They know that Jane is dead now.""And?" The question came from Rosalie.

"And they are on their way to have a chat with us." Alice flinched uneasily.

"Damnit." I groaned.

"I don't think it's a bad thing." Edward soothed, "I think its just a routine 'Why did you kill a fellow vampire' kind of visit."

"They didn't seem the slightest bit upset about her death." Alice shrugged. "But even so, we don't want them coming here. We'd better get home."

Charlie's eyes fell. With a pang of guilt I realized that he was lonely here, and he was enjoying our company.

"Charlie," Alice turned to him apologetically. "You are in no more danger. I will keep my eye on you to be sure, but everything should be fine now." She promised.

"I'm sorry about all this, Dad." I said softly.

"It's alright. At least this way you will be able to visit me now and then, right?"

"Yeah." Edward replied. "But it would be best to wait for at least half of a year until she is better at resistance."

I nodded in agreement. I had been struggling silently with my instincts and impulses all day long. It made me sick to think about the things that my body was telling me to do. My mind kept screaming no the whole time though, I had a killer headache from the effort.

"Bye dad." I said as we all stood. I felt obligated to give him a departing hug at least, but I knew that I couldn't do it.

He seemed to understand. He shook Edwards hand and gave me an acknowledging nod. "Bye Bella. You practice that resistance thing and, um…… yeah." He fumbled with his words. "Later, I guess."

"Take it easy, Charlie, you hear?" Alice chimed as she gave him a brief hug. "See you soon."

And with that, we departed. Out to the cars and back to the house that I was not yet comfortable calling a home.

The ride was silent. Edwards hand was wound firmly around my waist and through my belt loop and his lips rested casually on the top of my head. I tried not to think about what awaited us back in Denali, I tried to focus on how peaceful life would be after the turmoil of these past few days had passed. I focused on the angel sitting beside me who I would get to spend the rest of forever with….

……….. no matter how short that forever may be.


	20. Justification

Title: Justification

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Volturi visit - Bella breaks down.

Disclaimer: All characters mentioned belong to Stephenie Meyers

A large black Escalade was parked nonchalantly in the driveway of the three story mansion when we pulled up.

"They just arrived." Edward informed us.

As we stepped out of our vehicles, Aro and Caius mirrored our actions and faced us gravely.

The seriousness in their eyes frightened me. I thought Alice said that they weren't angry, I winced.

We approached them cautiously.

"Greetings, Carlisle." Aro nodded.

"Hello, Aro, Caius." He acknowledged warmly. I could see that the majority of this conversation would be directed at Carlisle and not us.

"I suppose that you know our reasoning for coming." Aro started.

"Yes, I have a basic idea, but I think that I may have as many questions for you as you have for me, if that's alright." Carlisle added.

"Fair enough." Aro agreed.

"Would you like to go inside and sit?" Carlisle offered.

"No, that's fine, thanks. We really can't stay and visit.."

"I understand. I'm assuming you're here to question about Jane." Carlisle offered.

"Yes, that is the main motivation behind our visit." Aro nodded. Caius remained silent, just as he had when he had accompanied Jane. "We need to know what happened that propelled you to kill Jane….. And, also, how you managed it without loosing a single life from your side would be a welcomed detail."

"Well, " Carlisle began "I think first we deserve an explanation as to why exactly she was in Forks trying to kill Bella's father."

"Bella's father? Well I guess that answers our question…" Aro looked confused. "We did not order her after Bella's father, we sent her after Jacob Black. It was he, after all, who felt it necessary to tell a secret that was not his to tell, correct?"

"Yes, but it was not she who went after Jacob Black." Carlisle reminded him, "but rather a large group of zombie-like vampires."

"Yes, this has been also brought to our attention." Aro scowled angrily. "I can assure you that that was not in our intentions."

"I have to ask, if you will.." Carlisle hesitated, "Were you sending Jane on that mission in the hopes that she would not return."

"I can not admit to that for reasons of legality and morality, but I can however indulge you with the fact that Jane had a mind of her own in her last few years. She was out of control and acting on impulse rather than on order. She was a danger to the Volturi, we have a reputation to uphold. Granted, it may not be the best reputation, but it is at least a respectable and consistent one. Jane began turning on us, using her talents against us. I'll admit that a suicide mission would be a convenient way to dispose of her, but I will not admit to taking advantage of such an opportunity. I'm sure you understand."

"Yes, of course." Carlisle nodded in recognition. "Inopportunely for Jane, though, Jacob Black is a very good friend of Bella's."

I scowled soundlessly behind him.

"We saved Jacob from his untimely demise and then were immediately met by Jane at the Swan residence. Edward's insight into the depths of her mind showed that she entertained no notion of letting us leave the house alive."

Aro's brow furrowed in thought.

"Furthermore," Carlisle continued., "Jane exercised her talents on all of us, crippling us all. All but Bella, that is. If it weren't for Bella's fast acting, we would all be dead. Jane's death was a product of self defense."

"I see." Aro frowned.

Caius moved suddenly to place his hand on Aro's shoulders. It took me a moment to figure out that he was letting Aro read his thoughts briefly. "Yes, Caius, I agree entirely. We can not prosecute or punish them for Jane's wrong doings. Especially since her presence in Forks and her knowledge of the situation was our fault also. My sincere apologies to you, Carlisle, for the problems that Jane caused you."

"No harm done." Carlisle assured him.

I resisted the impulse to scoff at his remark. No harm my ass.

"But, if you don't mind me asking, how did you know that Jacob had told Charlie?"

"We have our sources." Aro replied slyly. "I will say no more than that."

"I understand." Carlisle surrendered. "Is there anything else that needed clearing up or was that the only purpose of your visit?" His tone and question were clear and polite dismissals.

"Ah, no. That was it. Our thanks to you, Carlisle. Your family has done us a bigger favor than you may believe. And Bella," He turned to me, "I never got to officially congratulate you and Edward on your marriage and welcome you as an equal into the world of eternal prosperity."

"Thank you." I nodded vacantly.

"Take care, Carlisle, everyone." Aro gestured a generic farewell and disappeared into the large black escalade and crept slowly out of the driveway.

We all stood in silence, long after they left with our hands in our pockets awkwardly.

"That was easy." Emmett finally broke the silence.

We murmured our agreements and turned to head back into the house.

Once inside, I immediately ascended the stairs to the bedroom. I didn't say a word, I just walked, deliberately stepping on each step on the way up. Once inside the room I went directly to the bathroom and to the shower. Showering was not nearly as necessary as it was before due to the fact that I was no longer capable of producing any sweat. Even so, I thought a shower sounded good at that moment.

I undressed quickly and stepped into the shower. The cold water didn't bother me anymore, so I didn't even bother turning the knob to a warmer temperature. I reached out my hands and braced myself against the walls as a sob ripped through me.

Why was I crying? It was all ok…. The danger had past.

But that was just it, wasn't it? How many more times was I going to put this family through the danger and life threatening ordeals that seemed to be attracted to me by some unholy force of nature. All I had been to this family was a problem, a nuisance that only brought drama and issues. Not only that, I had inconveniently chosen now to let the events of the last two days sink in. I had savagely fought two vile vampires and outwitted 6 others. I should have been proud of myself, but I felt unnatural and freakish. I slid to the ground and squeezed my knees to my chest as the cold water beat down on my back.

Then, he was there. Edward opened the glass door and looked down at me with concern etching every inch of his face. Still fully dressed, he let himself in the shower with me and slid down behind me and wrapped his arms around me. He didn't ask questions, he simply pulled me against him and embraced me securely and safely in his strong arms.

Even though I was stronger than he, I suddenly felt so weak and fragile again as I let my emotions go and sobbed violently. His body trembled with mine and it took a moment before I realized that he was crying too. Edward was crying with me. And that's how we remained until an hour later. Edward fully dressed, holding my naked body to him as we both cried beneath the cold water.

Husband and wife, condoling each other and supporting one another endlessly. Committed entirely to each other, just as we would be for forever…. Eternally devoted.


	21. Memory

Chapter 21

Memory

Edward's elegant scrawl was splattered all over in the book in front of me. I had been looking for a piece of paper to write to Charlie when I had come across this notebook in the drawer of the desk. It wouldn't hurt to take a peek, I decided. I let it fall open to a random page and began reading.

_**As much as I hate to admit it, I understand why she has been so adamant about becoming eternally damned. She knows - though not through any form of explanation from me ****- but somehow she knows the internal struggles I face every time I touch her:**_

**_Knowing full well that she is not mine to touch, and that my unnatural presence is interfering in the natural course her life would have taken tortures me. I want only what is best for her, but I selfishly do everything in my power to make sure that that includes my presence. I cannot bear to be away from her, but its so irresponsible of me to repeatedly put her in the constant danger I cause with my very presence. The longing for the liquid-life running rapidly through her luscious veins is so appetizing, its nearly impossible to resist. But even more impossible to resist is her. Every touch sends protests of restrained passion through my every limb. I long to touch every inch of her warm, delicate skin and feel her all around me, but the fear that accompanies that lust is too much of a risk for me. She is so breakable. One wrong move from me and that could end her. _**

**_Another reason that she wants to become a vampire. She wants to be less breakable. I fantasize endlessly about the day that I can do to Bella what I have dreamt of without being afraid of harming her, but her clumsy breakability and her accident prone tendencies are some of my favorites of Bella's characteristics. I am not in love with her perfection nearly as much as I am in love with her flaws, but I am willing to admit in the security of these pages that I long for the day that she is more durable and I don't spend every second that I am away from her worrying about her life. On the same token, when she does become a vampire.. I will never have to leave her side at all….. But how I will miss her warmth and her ability to let the blood color her cheeks when she's embarrassed or ashamed. How I will miss that gentle heartbeat that is the very symbol of her life that she is so eager to remove completely._**

**_The moment that her heart stops beating will be the most bittersweet moment of my existence. Her heart beat is in a way my own. She is still alive, and as selfish as it is for me to admit it, I find that I am living through her. Her heart is beating for both of us, and when her humanity ceases to exist anymore it will be because of me. Her biggest gift in this world will be ripped from her unjustly in order for her to present me with the biggest gift in my world ; her. _**

**_She thinks of her self far too little. She is so caught up in pleasing me, and when she does focus on her own desires, usually it is a desire that I also entertain. Just to think that a short time ago I had been without her makes me cringe. How could I have made through every day without this beautiful and undeniably precious being at my side. _**

**_She is my life, now. Nothing else matters to me as much as she does, but I don't deserve this happiness she so selflessly gifts me with. I am a monster, and she is an angel. Every moment I spend with her is turning heaven against hell and rearranging the plans set out for both of us. _**

**_But I can't leave her, ever again. My love for her is now the biggest part of me, and to remove that part would undoubtedly result in my painful and lonely demise. _**

**_I depend on her for a reason to live now. Is this as wrong as it feels?_**

I set down the open pages and turned back to the door as Edward walked in. His eyes looked from me to the large notebook sitting open before me and smiled sheepishly.

"Reading my journal, Bella?"

"Is that what this is?"

"Yes."

"It's beautiful." I admitted.

"Of course it is, its about you." He chuckled back.

"How do you know, I could have been reading about something else." I pointed out hopefully.

"No, Bella. You couldn't have. I never began writing in that journal until I met you. In fact, the first entry is on the very day I met you."

"Do you still write in it now?" I asked.

"Not as much as I used to. I always used to write in it while you were asleep or away in La Push, but there's not as much time for it anymore."

"I'm sorry" I apologized.

He laughed, "Bella! Do you think I would rather spend time writing about you than actually being with you?"

I shrugged.

He moved to my side and crouched next to my chair.

"Of course not. Silly Bella, I live for spending time with you."

I smiled. "So I gathered from this." I gestured to the pages in front of me.

His eyes briefly scanned the pages.

"Ah, that was after Italy….shortly before I proposed to you I believe. The night before, in fact." He nodded.

"Oh." I let my eyes wander longingly over the pages again.

"You can read it, you know. What's mine is yours." He offered.

"I would like that." I agreed.

He scooped me off of the chair with one hand and grabbed the notebook with the other before crossing the room to the cushion that was our bed. He settled himself into the middle of it and I snuggled onto his lap as he paged through the journal.

"This was the day that I met you." He offered.

"I took the journal in my hands and began reading the much shorter passage he was pointing out."

**_I swear, this girl has been conjured straight from my own hell to torture me into revealing my family. No one on earth should be allowed to smell that delicious. Carlisle says that she is my "singer" …. whatever that means. I don't care what she is, but I'm determined that she has been sent here to ruin me. I tried changing my classes today, but that was a lost cause. All I can do is flee. I have to leave, and I have to leave right now. Every second more I spend in this town where she lives is a danger to my family. Her father is the police chief…. Its as if that was meant to be some ironic twist to the story, I couldn't even get away with killing her without a hefty investigation. _**

**_If I would have just met her in a dark alley in New York it would have made no difference to me, she would have been just another notch on my stick. But even then, she would have been different. There isn't an evil bone in her body. She is the purest thing I have ever smelled, her only evil is being so unjustly tempting. _**

**_I will go to Denali for a while maybe…….no. I will go… well I don't know where I will go. I will just go there. Anywhere away from here. _**

I looked up when I had finished it. He winced, expecting me to question him.

"A dark alley in New York, huh?" I giggled.

"Bella, you are so peculiar. You just read that I wished I had had the opportunity to kill you at another time and you are laughing at it."

I giggled again.

He sighed and shook his head at me before turning to another page.

**_I can't go back. I know that, but why do I have such a burning desire to see her again. Its not the thirst, like it should be. Its another reason entirely. A part of me, an unfamiliar part, wants to make sure that she is…… alive. I am concerned for her well being. The very thing that has driven me from my family is the very thing whose life I feel obligated to protect even though my direct urge whenever I am close to her is to kill her. _**

**_I'm going back. I have a feeling I will regret this._**

"I was wrong you know," He started.

I looked at him questioningly.

"About regretting my return, I was wrong." He whispered as he pressed his lips to my forehead. He flipped to another page without looking.

**_I can't have her. I can't torture her any more. This is the hardest decision I have ever made, but her life came so close to extinction last night. Its not Jaspers fault by any means. Its my own fault for not being more careful, but I can't put her in danger any more. _**

**_If I could cry, this page would be underwater right now. All that I can do is convince the only thing in this world that I want and love…. That I don't want her, or love her anymore. _**

**_She wont believe me. I have told her otherwise far too many times, but I have to try. _**

**_Its for her own good. _**

**_She will forget me, and she will move on. _**

**_Many years from now, when my presence will go unnoticed, I will return to see her one last time with her husband and children. I will make sure she is happy, and then I will go see the Volturi about my death. I can not die until I know she is happy, but I cannot continue existing without being with her._ **

"You were going to kill yourself anyways if I ever moved on?" I frowned at him.

"Yes."

"And you call me peculiar." I scowled.

He opened it to another page

**_Sometimes at night I just lay there and stare at her without blinking until she opens her eyes. Sometimes I can't even look at her at all. I know I shouldn't be here, but I know I can't leave again. She never got over me like I had planned. I saw it in Jacob Black's mind. The pain that she had been in through every second I was gone. I have stepped into her life, and even though I would like to set it back to the way it would have been, Its impossible now. I have an unintentional hold over her and she will never accept anything other than me. _**

**_She risked her life in Italy to save mine, even though she thought I didn't want her. _**

**_That is love._ **

I had no response to this entry. He monitored my silent revel for a moment before kissing my forehead again and turning the page.

**_Engaged. Its such a human term, but there it is, hanging over my head. Embarrassed as she was, she didn't hesitate to say yes. Bella will be my wife. And then, shortly after…. I will change her. Just as I promised. I only wish there was a way that I could become mortal instead of the other way around._ **

Before I had even spoken, he turned the page to the next.

**_The happiest moment of my life, (even happier than when Bella punched Jacob) was when the words "I do." left her lips and I knew she was mine forever. _**

**_We had sex tonight. I don't know how I managed to control myself, but I did it. It made me even more anxious for her to become less breakable, with all caution out of the way it will be much easier for me to make love to her. I look upon this beautiful woman laying beside me and I know that there must be a God. He may not be very fond of us vampires, but for such perfection to live within a human body like Bella's…. there was a hand of God in the creating of this……_**

**_My wife. _**

**_Bella Cullen._ **

"Is that the last one?"

"Yes. I didn't write during your change, even though I wanted to. I couldn't leave your side."

I nodded and returned my gaze to the pages in front of me.

"I love you." He whispered into my ear.

"I know you do." I closed my eyes. "I love you too."

He lifted my chin gently and pressed his lips to my own.


	22. Visitor

Title: Visitor

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Tanya wants to break up Bella and Edward

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

"Tanya is here."

Alice's voice was panicked as she poked her head in our room at sunrise.

"Great, have fun visiting with her. I'm going to stay up here with my wife." Edward said flatly.

"No, she wants to talk to you." Alice countered,

"I am fully aware of what her intentions are on this visit, and I can assure you, Alice, that I want no part in them." Edward replied.

"I really don't want to visit with her."

"Well, I'm sorry Alice. At least she isn't here to profess her undying love for you and try to convince you to leave your wife…err, husband." Edward pointed out.

I stiffened in his arms at his words. Tanya was here to steal my husband?

"Edward…"

"NO, Alice. I will not put up with her."

"You're going to have to someday, why not now?"

"Because right now I intend to make love to my wife. You have my full permission to relay those exact words to her, too." Edward said coldly.

Alice groaned in defeat and marched back down the hallway.

I looked up at him with my eyes full of questions.

"No, Bella. We are not making love with a visitor in the house. I just wanted Alice to tell her that."

"That's not…. I mean, that's fine, but……"

He raised his eyebrows at me.

"She wants to steal you from me!?" I blurted.

"Yes. She is rather fixated on it in fact." He chuckled, obviously amused with the situation.

"Its not funny." I pouted. "I am rather offended by it."

"Oh Bella," He tightened his arms around me and placed his lips on my collarbone. "She doesn't have a chance. I told you, I prefer brunettes.'

"Yes, because hair color would definitely be the final deciding factor."

"Bella, there is no deciding factor. There is nothing to decide. You are my wife, nothing in this world is worthy enough to compete with you for my love. All that I am belongs to you. She is pathetic for even coming here and entertaining this notion."

"Why didn't she just object at the wedding if she was so adamant about it?" I scowled.

"Believe me, she thought about it. She thought about it loudly, too. Her screaming thoughts were trying to draw me away from the beautiful woman I was being married to at the moment. She failed, of course. And as it turns out, she didn't object. it's a pity, really. I would have loved to knock her out and give her something to object to."

I couldn't help but giggle.

He playfully kissed the tip of my nose and ran his hands up my side as I wiggled in delight.

"Edward, that tickles!" I protested.

"Does it, now? I never would have guessed." He teased as he pinned me down between his knees and continued to tickle me.

Abruptly, he stopped and rolled off of me. He craned his head in towards the open door and listened intently.

I followed suit and began to pick up the mingling of voices downstairs.

"No, Tanya, I have to insist that you give Edward and Bella their space right now, they are having personal time right now and you shouldn't interrupt…" It was Alice speaking.

"I don't really care what they are doing," The unfamiliar voice must belong to Tanya, I decided. "I have to talk to Edward. Its urgent."

"Listen," Alice spoke again. "I know why you're here and its not right. Tanya its wrong of you to try to break them apart. They are happy, leave them - "

"WHAT!?" The new voice was Emmett's. "You're here to do WHAT!?"

"Oh shut up, tough guy, this has nothing to do with you."

_What a bitch. _I thought angrily.

"The voices continued and grew louder as they neared."

"I'll be damned." Edward growled. "She's actually coming up here. Quick, take off your clothes."

"What, me? YOU take off your clothes."

But it was too late for that. Tanya appeared in the doorway seconds later.

She really was beautiful. She could give Rosalie a run for her money. Her long blonde hair fell gracefully around her face and her soft yellow eyes were outlined by a plethora of unnecessary makeup. She was dressed in a skimpy mini skirt and an almost entirely see-through white tank top.

"Edward, can I have a word with you?" She didn't even try to hide the seductive tone to her voice.

"We're busy." I expected the words to come from Edward, but I was shocked to hear them said in my own cold and unfriendly voice.

"I wasn't talking to you." She shot me a dark glance. When her eyes fell upon me, they grew wide. "You're a vam….. When…?"

"After we were married." I replied. "That puts an additional obstacle in your way, doesn't it?" I snapped angrily.

"No. My position still remains."

"Yes, I see that." I shot back slyly, "And I really wish it wouldn't because you're blocking my view of the hallway."

She snorted and turned her attention back to Edward. "I need to talk to you."

"Then talk." He said flatly.

Her eyes flicked accusingly to me.

"She's my wife. Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of her."

She remained silent.

"What's the matter, Tanya?" He taunted mercilessly, "Are you afraid that my new wife can kick your ass?"

"She couldn't" Tanya's voice faltered slightly, revealing her own doubt in her words.

Edward laughed out loud. "Tanya, honey, you have no idea what Bella can do."

"And you have no idea what I can do." She threatened. I would be a much better wife than… that." She spat the title at me.

"Leave, Tanya."

"Not until -"

"_I believe my husband asked you to leave!" _I snarled.

"Yes, I believe I did." Edward backed me up.

"I'll wait then….. I'll wait until I have you alone. You'll see. You don't know how good I could be for you…" She stopped talking when I jumped out of bed.

I noticed as the blankets fell around me that I was wearing only underwear, I forgot about that.

"Get out!" The command tore out of my mouth viciously. "And if you _ever _come near my husband again, I will personally rip every hair out of your head ."

She raised her eyebrows, mocking me.

"GET OUT, NOW!" I screamed as I took a step towards her.

"I'll talk to you soon, Edward." She promised as she receded into the hallway and disappeared.

"NO YOU WONT!" I shouted after her.

Edward began laughing hysterically behind me.

"What?" I turned to him, confused. Was he laughing at my outburst?

"I definitely just saw Tanya imagining you kicking her ass in her mind."

I snorted. "Good."

"I agree, it was a nice break from the constant fantasies of her and I that she constantly has playing in her head. Let me tell you, if making love to her would be anything like what it looks like in her head, you are _much_ better."

I giggled and fell back into his arms.

He kissed my neck gently and whispered - "I don't know why it always turns me on so much to see you get defensive and stick up for me."

I moaned in response to his fingers sliding up my thigh.

"Now, how about those clothes?" He grinned.


	23. Confrontation

Title: Confrontation

Rating: M - Language

Summary: Tanya is a sneaky ho. .

Disclaimer: I don't own.

The warm blood slid effortlessly down my throat and I could almost feel the black of my eye receding into the fiery red that it had been concealing. Hunting was becoming easier and easier for me, and I had gotten past the guilt and become more accustomed to my unnatural sense of smell.

Alice appeared beside me as I began retreating from my kill.

"Are you alright, or do you need more to be able to resist humans?" She urged.

"No, I'll be fine, I think." I assured her.

Alice and Esme were insistent on taking me shopping to supplement my dwindling supply of clothing. Lately Edward had been impatiently ripping my clothes off of me rather than wasting time on the clasps and zippers, a crime that I wasn't completely innocent of either, therefore the shopping trip was also for Edward. His absence was due to Alice's unnecessary persistence in buying some form of lingerie that I was certain would end up ripped in less than a week. It took a large quantity of convincing to keep him from coming, much to my dismay. Not that I didn't enjoy spending time with Esme and Alice, but I hated any separation from Edward, and I knew that he hated it too.

The concern of my newborn temptation getting carried away was still present, but my strong sense of smell had subjected me to the scent of human blood constantly over the last two months so my progress with resistance was proceeding at a much quicker pace than had been expected. Esme's main purpose on the trip, though it had gone unmentioned, was to be back up for Alice in case I got out of control. I honestly didn't think that I would need any restraining, especially now after taking the proper precautions of hunting.

I let my mind wander as we sped down the interstate. I wondered idly what Edward was doing and worried myself slightly over pointless concerns. My unfocused haze carried over into the many different shops Alice pulled me through. I vaguely remember her piling fancy underwear and see through pajamas into my arms some time, at which point Esme made a bee-line for the shoes. I grumbled mindlessly at Alice as she swiped her clear, fancy credit card through register after register.

"Alice, this is really not.."

"Bella, your closet is nearly empty."

"This.." I held up a small pair of lacey red underwear, "Is not exactly something that will be hanging in a closet, Alice."

She shot me an exasperated glance. "We are supplementing your drawers right now, we'll get to the closet eventually."

I groaned. "I'm not going to wear half of this stuff you know…"

A sly grin crossed her porcelain face, "Oh yes you will. And Edward will be quite fond of it."

"_ALICE_!" I protested. "You know I hate it when you inappropriately peep on my future, especially my sex life!"

"Alice…" Esme scolded blandly, knowing that no amount of admonishing would stop her.

She giggled and bounced off towards the jeans.

"She means well." Esme assured me.

"I know, I just wish she would mean well in a less annoying well." I rolled my eyes. The action drew her attention to my irises.

"Bella, your eyes….. They're turning… lighter."

"Really?" I blinked.

Esme grabbed my hand and led me over to the sunglass rack. "Really." She confirmed as she pointed to the mirror.

I surveyed my reflection and gasped in surprise. My eyes were now a light shade of red, an orange almost..

"What does that mean?"

"Well…" Esme frowned in thought, "It normally means that your attraction and lust for human blood is controllable and well-maintained…"

"Yes, I am much better at controlling myself." I nodded in agreement.

"None of had excelled to that point until at least 8 months after the change, and it has only been two… for you." She pointed out.

"Hmm, maybe its just the lighting." I shrugged it off.

A gasp from Alice caught our attention and we rushed over to make sure that her outburst wasn't in more than just reaction to the clothing she was so captivated by. She was clutching a pair of dark jeans to her chest with a look of pure disgust on her face.

"What's wrong Alice?" I joked, "Do they not have your size?"

"Alice," Esme spoke with much more of a concerned tone, "Did you have a vision."

Alice looked up at Esme with her mouth still agape…. Signifying a clear yes.

"Alice, what!?" I urged.

She looked back and forth between Esme and I wildly. "I can't believe…" She snarled.

"What!?" Esme and I shouted together.

"Tanya. That little…"

"Bitch." I finished her sentence.

"What did she do?" Esme retained a calm and collected tone, but she began leading the way directly to the exit.

"She didn't, yet. But she is on her way over to the house to….." She faltered on the word as if it burned her tongue, "…. she's going to try to _seduce _Edward…"

I suddenly felt very ill. My head spun violently as my mind traveled to every scenario it could. It rested finally on the unsettling vision of Edward and Tanya's naked bodies twisting beneath the sheets of a bed that I did not recognize.

"Bella," Esme's eyes were full of concern as she opened the door to the Volvo for me, "Edward can handle himself."

I didn't respond. The vision in my head had now become much more graphic. I felt absurd for even imagining such extremes, I knew that Edward would never….. Would he? How convincing was Tanya?

"What's happening?" Esme pressed as we squealed out of the parking lot.

"She hasn't made it through Emmett and Jasper ye…..never mind, she just….ooooh.." Alice winced. "She just broke a vase in her effort to get past the boys…what are they… oh, they're.." Alice's cell phone rang as if to finish her sentence, "….calling me."

The speedometer reached 120 as she flipped open her phone and responded without letting Emmett speak. "Why didn't you stop her!?……WHAT!? NO YOU MORON! WE'RE ON OUR WAY THERE! GO GET HER!"

She snapped the phone shut, "She told them that she was holding us hostage, how… how could they believe that…" She scowled.

"How far away are we?" Esme asked.

"19 miles, we'll be there in about 8 minutes." I answered, "I hope she's still there when we get there." I growled.

"Bella, relax." Esme tried to calm me down, but to no avail. The images in my head changed to include a clear vision of myself smashing Tanya's perfectly proportioned face into the wall repeatedly.

Time passed slowly. By the time we had finally pulled into the driveway I already had the door opened and I jumped out and bolted ahead of the Volvo to the front door.

"Where is she!?" I snarled as I slammed the door open.

Rosalie pointed a startled finger up the stairs and called after me as I ran up them- "Edward's got it handled…"

As I neared the third floor, two voices became clearer to me.

"Tanya, get the hell away from me!" Edward growled.

"What's wrong? Afraid your self control isn't sufficient enough now that your _wife_ isn't here? Afraid you will give in to the desires you so clearly possess?" Tanya's loathsome voice boasted.

"Get the hell away from my husband!" I snarled as I flung the door clear off its hinges.

"How convenient." She curled her lip at me as a low growl rippled her body. "Give it up, human. You know you will never be good enough for Edward. He deserved bet-"

Her statement was cut off by Edwards fist colliding angrily with her jaw. She gasped and stumbled backwards, clutching her face. The physical impact did not damage her confidence or cockiness at all. She immediately picked back up where she left off.

"You know you shouldn't be here, Bella. I should be the one married to Edward.. I was here all along, and you just _had_ to steal him. You don't belong with him…….all you are is a hazard to his entire family. All you have been is a big pile of trouble!"

I ground my teeth as a roar ripped out of Edward.

"GET OUT!" He commanded violently.

"I would," She snarled back, "But there is a large piece of garbage where the door used to be." She gestured slyly to my presence in the doorway.

With a final screech of anger I bent forward and ran full speed at her. She tried to jump out of the way, but I was too fast and my shoulder had collided with her stomach before she could evade me. She grunted at the impact and a scream of resentment escaped her as we collided with and burst through the glass window. We fell three stories down and both landed stealthily on our feet.

"You're just pissed because you know I'm right." Tanya's face contorted to display her disgust.

"You know what? I would love to see things from your point of view, Tanya, but I can't seem to get my head that far up my ass!" I shot back.

"Ouch." Emmett applauded my comeback from 10 yards away where an apparent audience had gathered. "I'm sure I could stuff your head anywhere you want once I have successfully torn it from your body." Tanya spat.

Edward jumped out of the window and landed beside me.

"Awe, how nice. Your husband is coming to your rescue." She scoffed mockingly.

"No." Edward corrected her calmly. "She is more than capable of asserting herself. I was merely aiming to welcome her back, seeing as you have so rudely interrupted our reunion." He grinned deviously as he swept me into an unexpected kiss.

I could nearly feel the tension emanating from Tanya.

"Enjoy it," She scowled, "It may very well be the last time that ever happens."

"Doubtful." I smiled menacingly at her crouched form.

"With an unorthodox decisiveness, she flung herself towards me in a very predictable manner. Her mistake became apparent when I grabbed her clothing as she flew past me and boosted her speed into the siding of the house. She landed with an angry squeal and flew at me again, this time her fingers curled securely around a few strands of my hair that had not dodged her attack as quickly as the rest of my body. Controlling my movement by a chunk of hair, She yanked me to the ground beside her and swung a leg over my chest. As she lifted her fist in preparation to punch me, I lifted my legs and locked them around her neck securely. Her hand released its hold on my own two hands and flew to her throat in shock as I forced her to the ground. Somehow she wiggled her way away from me and appeared 3 yards away moments later. Using solely my sense of smell, I detected her approach and calculated it just in time to move out of the way. She had predicted my move and in moments she had flung herself again from behind me and my face collided roughly with the ground. I could feel my nose crack and I groaned in pain. I didn't have any time to consider my likely broken nose. I rolled out of the way lithely as her foot appeared inches away from my already hurt face. I jumped up and performed the unacknowledged skill of a roundhouse kick, or at least that's what Emmet called it later, directly into her chest.

She staggered backwards, stunned. "I guess it makes sense that you learned to defend yourself. It must have been a pain in the ass for you to have to keep depending on _them _to save your life every ten minutes." She gestured to the audience 10 yards away.

That was the last I was going to hear from her. With an unreal burst of speed, I was at her throat in seconds. She flew back into a tree, but I was there again, before she could even hit the ground. With one hand around her neck and the other curled tightly in a fist I snarled my final warning.

"So help me, Tanya. You will leave this house, and you will leave now, and if I ever see you anywhere near my husband again, I will personally rip you to shreds and make love to Edward by the fire that disposes of them. Do you hear me? Get out of my sight….. _Now."_

With those final words I flung her across the yard in my own suggestive direction. She landed in a heap on the ground as her defeated sob rang through the surrounding trees. She stood up slowly and scrutinized Edward for a long moment, willing him with her hurt expression and tearless sobbing to come console her. When his only action was to place his arm around me, she wailed loudly and sprinted into the brush.

"Irina wont be pleased." Carlisle muttered. "She said that after the wedding, Tanya was inconsolable and utterly depressed constantly."

"Bella, you're my hero." Emmett grinned widely. "You kicked her ASS."

The entire family murmured their agreement.

"I'm sorry that I broke a window." I apologized sheepishly, resisting the urge to also apologize for displaying the very unladylike behavior of kicking ass in the front yard.

"Easily fixed." Esme waved it off.

"Just like your nose." Jasper pointed out casually.

Yes, windows and noses were things that were easily fixed.

Other things though, things like marriages and families, were not so easy to mend.

I silently thanked whatever higher power there was in this world that I had a marriage and a family that were in much better condition than my bedroom window.


	24. Blame

Title: Blame

Rating: PG

Summary: I took this chapter to give some insight into Esme's character. I like Esme a lot and I don't think she gets enough spotlight.

Disclaimer: Steph Meyers owns characters. The end.

The entire family regarded me differently in the days following Tanya's banishment. In the past week I had handled an angry hoard of newborns, the fury of Jane, and the snotty Tanya with more force than. They skirted around me like I was a force to be reckoned with, and I hated it.

I didn't want to be intimidating to anyone, I wanted to be normal. I knew that for me, normal was never going to be achievable, but I wished desperately that I could be less of a freak. Even as a vampire, I was different.

I kicked a stone across the pond absently and groaned. Even a relaxing walk across the yard could not remain un-plagued by frustrating thoughts. I had been pacing for hours, listening to the piano music flowing from the open bedroom window as Edward patiently composed his third song this week.

"Something bothering you, Bella?" Esme appeared behind me.

"No. I'm fine." I muttered in a tone that wasn't even believable to me.

"I'm sure." She returned my unconvincing accent pointedly.

When I finally returned her gaze, I was met with concern and the discreet but clearly distinct and undeserved respect that I had been trying so hard to escape.

"Why are you looking at me like you're afraid of me?" I groaned. "I'm no different than I used to be!"

She blinked, obviously taken aback by my unexpected outburst. "What on earth are you talking about, Bella?"

She looked honestly confused. I shook my head in defeat and shrugged it off. "Never mind. It's nothing."

"Isabella Marie Cullen." She scolded. "In all the literal sense, I may not be your mother, but that does not stop me from regarding you as my daughter anyways and as the mother figure I consider myself to be, I would really appreciate some explanation as to your attitude." Her voice contained every ounce of hurt and offense that I had been hoping to avoid.

I picked up a flat stone and flung it across the pond. It skipped clear to the opposite bank and landed on the grass with an audible thud, sending a disturbed and unhappy flock of swallows flying haphazardly into the air. I could feel Esme's eyes begging for a response and I struggled to compose the words to describe my emotions.

"Ever since I've been a vampire and been able to fend for myself," I started, "You all have been treating me like…….like you're afraid of me!"

The music from the bedroom came to an abrupt halt. Edward was listening now, I could sense it.

"Bella,-" She struggled for words.

"Everyone has been acting like I'm dangerous and like I am going to snap and murder one of you at any time!" I continued. "I don't want to be the freak anymore! I don't want to be intimidating or scary, I just want to be Bella….." A note of hysteria crept into my voice. True to form, even as a vampire, my emotions were hardwired to my tear ducts. Conveniently, I was unable to cry, but even so- my voice still betrayed the emotion I felt.

Sensing my distress, Esme swept me comfortingly into her arms in a very motherly gesture.

"Shhhhh, Bella." She soothed. "Calm down." She rubbed her hand lightly up and down my back to relax me. "We aren't afraid of you, sweetheart…. We're just…..grateful."

"Grateful!?" I stepped away from her as my eyes widened in disbelief.

"Yes, grateful. Do you have any idea how indebted to you I am?"

"For what!?" I felt my jaw drop in astonishment. "For making your family pick up everything and move, for putting you in danger time-after-time, for being the biggest pain in the a-"

"Oh, Bella! Do you really think that anyone holds you responsible for any of that?"

"They should." I muttered.

"No, Bella. They shouldn't, and they don't. Moving is a part of our lives. We can't stay in any place for too long, it's a part of what comes with immortality. As for this 'danger'. We are perfectly capable of taking care of yourselves in most cases. The only instance in which we have been in what we would consider as _real danger_, you saved us, and you know that. We owe our lives to you for that."

"But you wouldn't have needed to be saved if it weren't for the danger that I clearly put you in." I countered. "So really, that is no reason to be grateful for me."

"Do you think that's the only reason I'm equipped with?" She contradicted.

"If you can come up with more I'll be amazed." I muttered.

"Walk with me." She requested, throwing a knowing glance at the bedroom window where Edward was no doubt listening to our conversation.

The fact that she wanted to have a conversation with me away from Edward's ears intrigued me into a silent agreement. I cooperatively paced her as she set off across the yard towards the farthest corner and then even into the cover of the trees. There was a well maintained nature trail through the tree's and we followed it in silence for a long while. There was the ever present distinct sound of birds and crickets mixed with the soft whisper of the wind through the trees that remained un-broken by our silent footsteps.

"Bella," She finally spoke again… "Do you want to know why I am so grateful for you?"

"I want to know what reason you think you have to be grateful for me, yes." I nuancially rephrased her wording to fit my expectations and prepare for my pending argument.

"You didn't know Edward like I did. The only Edward you know is the Edward that we were introduced to after you came into the picture, which is a good thing."

I frowned in confusion. Was she saying that she didn't like Edward before?

"I have always loved Edward as a son, from the moment that I came into this family." She continued, "But he wasn't always so personable. He used to be a hermit, if you will. He would leave for long periods of time and he wouldn't talk to anyone about how he felt. He was lonely and angry and he didn't want to exist. He was afraid of the future, and afraid of being alone. He was the loner, not by default, but by choice. He had no one and he was more depressed than I could have ever imagined possible. Bella, I don't think I saw him smile once before you….." She trailed off. The memory of her sons previous mental state was obviously a painful one. When she spoke again, a new pain and raw emotion was present in her voice. Her brow drew together like she was trying to keep back the tears that she was unable to produce and her voice cracked with the effort. "Bella, you saved him. You don't understand how positively you have impacted us all. You brought Edward back to life, in a way. I used to feel awful because I regarded myself as being responsible for his loneliness. I felt that if it weren't for me, he would still have Carlisle. You were the missing piece of our family, Bella. You completed us." We had stopped walking by this point and she was avoiding making eye contact, addressing the surrounding foliage with her words instead of me.

"Esme…." I didn't know what to say. The rebuttal I was certain that I would have completely evaded me.

She finally turned to face me again, all the generosity and gratitude in the world filling her eyes as she captured my hands between her own. "Thank you, Bella. Thank you so much."

I was still rendered speechless as she swept me in to a maternal and compassionate embrace.

"I don't care how much danger you think you put us in, I will always be indebted to you for what you have done for Edward. I think of you as a daughter now, Bella, and as a family - there is nothing that I wouldn't do for you. Any ounce of trouble that may befall us due to your presence is entirely worth it to me. I love you, Bella, and I couldn't imagine a better person for Edward to have met."

"Thanks, Esme. I couldn't imagine a better family to be a part of either."

She smiled triumphantly at my lack of opposition to her graciousness.

"But," I reminded her, "I still wish they wouldn't act like I'm such a hazard. Even Emmett looks afraid of me."

"Between you and I," she winked, "I think Emmett is just nervous that there is anyone in the house that could beat him up."

I permitted myself a slight giggle for Esme's sake. She grabbed my hand firmly in hers and we began walking back to the house, swinging our hands optimistically as we went. As we neared the house, we heard a transforming melody drifting from the bedroom.

"You should go talk to him." Esme encouraged. "I can tell he has been worried about you too, lately."

"I guess that's fair." I allowed.

She gave my hand a final squeeze and patted me on the butt reassuringly. I shook my head wondrously at her cheery mood and trekked back up to the house and up the stairs.

Edward didn't look up when I walked in the room, he continued to work vigorously on the sheet of music sprawled in front of him. I crossed the room and sat on the bench beside him and watched him scrawl out an assortment of notes that I could not comprehend on the lined paper in front of him. When he finally returned his fingers to the keys, the sound he emitted was magnificent. My jaw dropped in awe as the beautiful notes glided over one another gracefully and serenaded the peaceful air. He stopped mid note and scribbled down some final lines and resumed the song until the last note rang in the air with a surreal finality.

He removed his hands from the ivory keys and folded them in his lap gracefully.

"Bella?" His velvet voice flowed as smoothly as the piano notes still echoing in my head.

I looked up at him imploringly.

"Are you really happy here?" He stared at the notes on the page absently as he spoke.

"Yes."

"Then what's wrong."

I bit my lip. An action that I foolishly hoped would go unnoticed.

It didn't.

He lifted my chin to his with a too quick movement and secured my gaze. "You can't deny that there is something wrong. You told Esme."

"You seem to be well educated then, I'm sure you already know what I said to her."

"No." He frowned. "She has been reciting the alphabet in 14 different languages to distract her thoughts."

I smiled, imagining Esme's mild attempt at allowing me to have the chance to explain my mood to my husband.

"I have just been feeling……" I searched for the right word, "avoided, lately."

"Bella, you have been avoiding _me_." He frowned.

"I know. I'm sorry, I just hated the way everyone seems intimidated by me lately. And I felt like I was just a problem to your family. More harm than good, ya know?" He looked hurt.

"It doesn't matter though. I talked to Esme and I feel a lot better now."

"So you weren't happy."

"I _am_ happy. I have you, that's all I need." I assured him.

He ran his thumb against my cheek, studying me for any signs of the apparent dishonesty that I would not have been able to hide had it been present. Once content and convinced, he sighed and resigned his argument.

"I wish I knew how to make you happier." He sighed.

"I couldn't possibly be any happier." I corrected him.

"Good, because that would mean that I am a failure as a husband."

"You are far from a failure at anything." I promised him.

"Hmmmmm." He smiled wickedly as he placed a feathery kiss on my neck. "Even this?"

I giggled lightly. "You are ridiculously good at that, too." I admitted.

"Good. I have to be able to keep up with your skill." He grinned as he swept me into his arms and carried me over to the cushion-bed.

He laid next to me and stroked my hair absently for a while before speaking again.

"How about Europe?"

"What?" I looked at him questioningly.

"For our honeymoon that we have yet to take. How about Europe?"

I smiled. "I would like Europe." I agreed.


	25. When the lights dim

Title: When the lights dim….

Rating: PG-13 for reference to sexual situations.

Summary: This is kind of a one-shot I decided to write from a neutral point of view because I decided that the relationships other than just Edward and Bella's deserved some brief spotlight. It ties in to the time frame of my Devotion series, but it isn't an actual chapter in it. I was just bored.

Disclaimer: All cannon pairings belong to Stephenie Meyer

Neutral Perspective.

At a similar time every night, the Cullen household becomes very predictable. The eight members of the family split off into couples and recede to the privacy of their bedrooms. Though it was unnecessary for them to sleep, they still considered the evening and early hours of the night to be time set aside for privacy with the one they loved.

On the second floor you would find Emmett and Rosalie behind closed doors. Emmett's playful and competitive nature normally brought on a wrestling match between himself and his wife as either a rematch from the previous night or as a tool to settle an earlier argument. Rosalie was perfectly aware that she had no chance of over powering Emmett's raw muscle and strength, but conveniently for her, their wrestling had a foreseeable way of transforming into passion and love making, Rosalie and Emmett kept up their tough persona when in the eyes of their family, but the love that they had for each other was unheeded and unreserved when they found themselves alone. If wrestling was not on the agenda, they would fall into an alternative routine of pampering each other with back massages in their oversized Jacuzzi tub.

A few doors down from Rosalie and Emmett could be found Alice and Jasper. Alice and Jasper were similar to Rosalie and Emmett in the way that they reserved their passion and kept it concealed from the eyes of their family. Even in private, though, the two of them would often just lay together and stare into each other's eyes. It was more of an intimate moment than was shared in most relationships. Their love was deeper than sex and physicality, they only needed each other's presence to be happy. Plus, the additional fact that Jasper could cause an orgasm without contact made the lack of proximity even more manageable.

Up the stairs was Esme and Carlisle room. As the oldest, literally and physically, the couple were much more calm with their enthusiasm when it came to their relationship. They were much more romantic in every fluffy and beautiful sense of the word. More often than not, as a reaction to the recurring night time events that were audible from Edward and Bella's bedroom, the two of them would spend ours in a loving embrace dancing. Edwards piano playing provided perfect music to dance to, and occasionally Carlisle would sing his own made up lyrics to some of Edwards more familiar songs. There, tightly clinging to one another, Esme and Carlisle would talk about the events of the day and remind each other subtly of the immense love they held for the other and how entirely appreciative they were for everything the other had provided.

As previously mentioned, Edward and Bella's evening routine began similarly every night with Edward settling at the grand piano and producing a multitude of beautiful melodies as Bella sat beside him resting her head in a loving gesture on her husbands shoulder. The music continued for hours, sometimes, with Edward not willing to cut short Esme and Carlisle dance in the other room. Bella never complained or grew tired of listening to Edward play, she closed her eyes and let her mind wrap around and appreciate every note. Commonly, after the piano music had ended they would give in to their young, teenage passions and desires. Regardless of the fact that Edward was over 100 years old, the experiences he had just been introduced to with his new wife was as fresh and new to him as if he was equal to Bella in the 19 years she had been alive. Aside from the inescapable fact that they were vampires and not exactly mortal beings, they were still typical newlyweds.

Predictable as the family is, they never allowed for a dull moment. During the day, and even at night when they allowed themselves private time, they were never discontent or anything other than at ease. Even Rosalie, who made no secret at first about her desire to be a regular human, found no reason to herald any complaints or discontentedness. They were all entirely happy with every ounce of their lives. Edward especially, since Bella had joined the family in every applicable sense of the term "joined". There was no doubt and no reason to deny that the family was completely content and appreciative of the life that they lead, no matter how abnormal and unnatural it may be regarded as by some. _They were happy _with life and more importantly, with each other.


	26. Honeymoon

Title: Honeymoon

Rating: M - Mild sexual content

Summary: Final Chapter in the Devotion series. Bella and Edward go on their honeymoon to Europe.

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The end.

"You better have packed that lingerie I bought you." Alice scolded as she rummaged through my almost full suitcase.

"Alice," I groaned. "Sexy underwear are not necessary."

"Oh, I know," She shot me a sly smirk, "But Edward will appreciate it."

I shook my head, exasperated. "Alice, what am I going to do with you?"

"Relax, Bella. You'll have a great time." She promised, "At least your husband can't torture you with spontaneous orgasms in the middle of a crowded restaurant during your honeymoon."

I laughed out loud. "Yes, that would be bothersome." I agreed.

"Not that the talent isn't welcomed at other times," she grinned, "But, in the middle of Paris.."

"Okay, okay," I held my hands up to stop her, "Too much information, Alice."

She giggled and resumed her attention to my underwear drawer, sifting through its contents and replacing some of what I packed with what Alice would consider as more "tasteful" choices.

"I never saw the point in that." Rosalie chimed as she entered the closet, "Its not like they stay on. The only purpose of sexy lingerie is just to be taken off."

"Thank you." I sighed in relief. Alice just scowled and continued to edit my luggage choices.

Rosalie shot a smile my way, "I'm just swinging in to say goodbye really quickly." She sang out. "I'm going hunting with Emmett in a minute." She swooped closer to me and planted a friendly kiss on my cheek and placed a light hand on my shoulder. "Have fun, Bella. Ill see you in a week."

"Thanks, Rose." I grinned back as she squeezed my shoulder encouragingly and departed in a flurry of long blonde hair.

Her presence in the closet was almost immediately replaced by Emmett. Alice wasted no time in shooing him out of the closet, complaining that it was inappropriate for him to view my underwear before Edward did. I laughed at her tenacity and followed Emmett out into the bedroom where he swept me into a bear hug and spun me in a circle.

"Have a good time, Sis." He beamed.

"Thanks." I giggled back breathlessly. With a suggestive wink he departed as gracefully as Rosalie, but without the flowing blonde hair.

"There." Alice brushed her hands together as if she was trying to remove dirt from them in an accomplished gesture. "You're all packed."

"Thanks, Alice. But I'm quite certain I could have packed by myself." I insisted.

"But why on earth would anyone want to deny Alice the pleasure of assisting in the unnecessary?" I spun around to see Edward grinning from the doorway. "All set?" He flashed his brilliantly white teeth at me.

"Yeah, I'm ready." There was a blatant double meaning in my confirmation.

"Alright. Our flight leaves in about 2 hours, we had better get going." He winked playfully at me as he lifted my suitcase with ease and led the way down the stairs in one of the quicker than possible movements that I had grown so accustomed to. Once in the main entryway he set my suitcases next to his and floated around the room murmuring a brief goodbye to the family that had gathered.

I followed suit, taking more time to acknowledge each one. I hugged Esme, Carlisle, and Jasper briefly and allowed them to exchange their wishes for us to enjoy ourselves before finally bidding them a final farewell as we walked out the door.

"Whoa!" I breathed as we stepped off of the porch. Before me, in the driveway was a sturdy and unfamiliar looking black car. I knew nothing about cars, but I knew that it must have been expensive.

"Did you hire a car company to come get us or something?" I asked Edward.

"No, why would you think that." He pressed. Something about the sneaky edge to his voice made me think that I was not going to like where this was going.

"I haven't seen this vehicle before." I frowned.

"That's because its new." He grinned widely.

I looked at him suspiciously and raised my eyebrow to display my concern.

"Yes, Bella. Its yours." He confirmed my fear.

I felt my eyes close as I exhaled very slowly. "Edward…."

"Bella, you promised you would let me buy you a car."

"Did you have to do it now? What a way to start my honeymoon." I scowled. I knew that I wasn't being very cooperative, and I immediately felt slightly guilty.

"Bella, relax. Its not a big deal. Its my wedding gift to you." He made a rash attempt at justifying the likely several thousand dollar pile of metal in front of me.

"Yes it is, I don't need a car."

"Yes you do."

I opened my mouth to argue again but I closed it immediately. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I made a silent oath to myself that we would talk about this once we returned. He chuckled at my pouting and held out the keys to me.

"No." I held my hands up as if to surrender. "I don't know where the airport is and you drive faster than me." I didn't add that the prospect of driving this shining car intimidated me.

He rolled his eyes, but allowed my excuse and opened the passenger door for me. It only took him a moment to load our luggage and then we were speeding out of the driveway at top speeds.

the interior of the vehicle reflected its extravagant price. It was sleek, leather, and had the distinct smell of a new car. On the center console was a very classy digital screen complete with satellite radio and navigation system. I didn't ask questions about the car. I didn't want to know. I just focused on what was ahead of me.

I admittedly toned out his constant flurry of explanations and boasting about the car's many impressive features.

"Bella?" he prompted.

"What?" I shook the dazed thoughts out of my head and looked at him innocently.

"You haven't been listening at all, have you." His crooked smile let me know that I was off the hook.

"No," I smiled sheepishly.

"We're here." He repeated the last sentence that I had been tuning out.

"Oh!" I blinked in shock. "That was fast. Not that I'm surprised."

In moments he had left the vehicle and opened the door, extending a hand to help me out. I appreciated the unnecessary gesture and accepted it, although I did not accept him insisting on carrying my luggage as well as his. We didn't pack much. Just two large suitcases and a small carry-on, but still - I was perfectly capable of carrying my own luggage.

The busy airport proposed the ever present issue of blood lust. The rushing pulses of the hectic crowd made my mouth water, but I managed, as always, to keep my desires under control.

I realized as we stood among the rest of the people waiting to board our flight that people were looking at us. Not because of our inhuman beauty or our abnormal poise.. If that were the case, their expressions would have been scrutinizing and contemplative rather than the awed approval that we were regarded with instead. I realized that they were looking at us because of our behavior towards each other. Edward held my hands firmly in his own and we were both staring contentedly into each other's eyes. We were making it blatantly obvious that we were embarking on our honeymoon, and the impatient crowd around us made no show of hiding their reaction. The smirk on Edwards lips was a clear sign that he was in tune with what each one of them were thinking, and as he explained to me later, I was right.

The plane ride itself would have been pure torture if it weren't for the angel sitting beside me. He held my hand and rubbed comforting circles into it, trying desperately to do all he could to distract me from the blood lust threatening to overcome me. The close proximity to human blood and the inescapable confines of the situation was an inconvenience that we had not prepared for, but I knew that, now especially, it was crucial for me to maintain control. I focused on not breathing, a characteristic of my new lifestyle that had not made itself useful until now. The flight went slowly, but Edward did his best to help me by singing my lullaby in his quietest voice and quoting "Romeo and Juliet" in its entirety for me. If nothing else, his effort and compassion comforted me and put me at ease.

"Almost there." He encouraged as a particularly appealing flight stewardess stirred the air as she passed by us. I closed my eyes in response and shuddered involuntarily, though weather the action was due to my own desperate restraint or to disgust at the impulses I was entertaining I had no idea.

He squeezed my hand confidently and threw me a dazzling smile as the voice on the intercom instructed us to fasten our seatbelts as we made our landing.

Once safely outside of the plane and on solid ground, I still did not allow myself a breath. The air was still riddled with the scent of vulnerable humans, and I was thirsty.

We had made no plans. That was Edwards idea. He wanted to "wing it" and take things day by day. I offered no complaints, I didn't care where we were, as long as I was with him. The sun had already set, Alice had planned out our flights carefully around the sun, making sure that we would depart and arrive under the safe watch of the moon. Even so, we were almost completely covered. Our hands and faces were the only parts of our skins exposed, and we had taken the proper precautions of wearing hooded sweatshirts and carrying gloves in our pockets.

After departing the airport, we rented a vehicle. It took many hours of convincing on the flight to get Edward to agree to bypass grand theft auto while on our honeymoon. Jail time was not an intriguing activity to me, and as much as he insisted we wouldn't get caught, I insisted on acquiring transport the legal way.

Edwards condition, of course, was getting to chose the rental car himself. It turned out being a red version of the exact car that was waiting for us at the airport back in Alaska. I sighed heavily at him as he handed the money over the counter and was handed the keys in return.

"What?" He shrugged innocently.

"At least you're consistent, I guess." I groaned back.

He responded with a blinding smile as he urged me out the doors and away from the human blood I still found myself surrounded by.

"What's on the agenda?" He pressed.

"I don't know, I've never been to Switzerland before." I shrugged.

"Which is exactly why you're the boss." He grinned.

"I don't know, what is there to do that's away from people…… and near to animals?"

"Hiking." He suggested. "I mean, after all…. What's a trip to Europe without backpacking through the Swiss Alps?"

"Touché."

"So it's settled then? You're okay with going backpacking?"

"Yes." I confirmed eagerly. "Before, the prospect of hiking up a mountain would have been intimidating and nothing short of terrifying, but now, as an immortal possessor of inhuman grace and agility, I was actually excited by it. A peaceful and private hike up a mountain with my husband sounded like the perfect way to begin my honeymoon."

His responding grin was breathtaking. I could see that the plan was as thrilling to him as it was to me.

"Ok, there is this quaint little camping shop about an hour from here that we can get a tent and some blankets from and then we'll park the car and get started before the sun rises." He calculated it in his mind as he spoke. "We have to hurry though, I think the shop closes in a half hour."

To a normal person, the fact that we had a half of an hour to make an hour long trip would be cause to change plans, but not with Edward. I knew very well that speeding was necessary to him even without the pressing time frame.

Sure enough, 25 minutes later we pulled into the dirt lot in front of a "Sporting Goods Galore" shop. He instructed me to wait with the car and then disappeared. I didn't have nearly enough time to miss him, he was back in about 3 minutes, tops. I suspected that the only reason it took that long was due to the human speed at which the cashier moved.

It was moments later, after he had thrown the backpack full of purchases into the backseat, we were speeding down the road. His hand held mine firmly against the leather seats and he spent more time looking at me than at the road. His joy was unmistakable. He had the glimmer in his eye, same as the day I married him. He looked truly excited, which in turn only heightened my own anticipation. He was still grinning widely as we pulled into a dirt lot labeled "Hiker Lot. Maximum 4 days."

"The sun should be up in about 1 hour, we better get going so we can out hike the early risers." He winked. As if that would be any difficulty at all, I thought.

The path was easy to follow for a while. We took the defined trail for about 10 minutes, running at full speed up the steep incline. I absently calculated how much longer this trip would have taken if I were still a fragile and slow human and I grimaced at the memory.

As the first few rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, we deviated from the main path and I followed Edward into the trees. Not long after straying from the path we caught the scent of two mountain goats. Pausing for only the necessary 10 minutes to feed, we soon set off again, hiking farther and farther up the mountain. Every now and then he would pull me to an abrupt halt and press his lips against mine before continuing the hike with a sly grin as if nothing had happened. The atmosphere grew tighter and tighter around us and snow began to become visible on the mountain tops.

Once the sun was entirely above the horizon he slowed to a halt completely.

"Alright. It's highly unlikely that we will have any company from any humans this far up. We can set the tent here."

Contrary to his use of the word "us", Edward denied me any opportunity to assist him in the two minute job of setting up the tent. I made myself useful instead by unpacking the useless sleeping back, or… was it useless? I thought anxiously to myself.

As he put the finishing touches on the tent, I stepped over to the edge of the tree's and watched the sun rise into the sky. I lifted my hand in front of my face and wiggled my fingers in awe. I was still unused to the sparkling skin aspect of my new lifestyle. Without warning I felt his body contour to mine from behind me. One of his hands wrapped securely around my waist and the other curved around me to weave through the fingers of the hand I had been inspecting. His hands glittered and sparkled in the sunlight just as powerfully as my own and the sight brought a slight smile to my lips.

"I love you," He whispered against my neck. His cool breath cascaded down my shoulder and I closed my eyes at the sensation.

"Mmmmmm," I responded. "I love you too."

His lips searched hungrily up my shoulder and to my jaw line. I turned my head allowably to the side and met his hungry lips with my own.

He untangled his fingers from my own and moved his hand down to mirror the other at my waist. With gentle force he rotated my hips until I was facing him. I giggled quietly as he slid his hands around to my back and tucked them into the back pockets of my jeans. He used the leverage to pull my body against his own as he found my lips again.

A slight rumbled grew in his throat as he kissed me. I gasped loudly as he captured my bottom lip between his teeth, but my gasp was cut short my the resumed presence of his icy lips.

"Bella." He spoke my name in barely a whisper, but I heard it.

By now, the sun had turned its full force upon us and was battling to warm our ice cold skin.

The distant sound of a helicopter brought me out of the full force of his dazzling. "We should probably get out of the sun before someone takes the reflections off of our skin as an S.O.S. sign." I joked.

He was a little bit too eager to comply and he hastily swept me off of my feet and into the shelter of the tent.

Though it was only 7 in the morning, we made love multiple times in the comfort of our tent until the sun began to recede and leave us in the darkness again. We filled time by talking endlessly of the possibilities for the rest of our honeymoon. Sometime close to noon I remember staring into his beautiful face as he sang to me.

"Bella, thank you." He said.

"For what?"

"For being my wife, even when I so clearly didn't deserve you."

"Shhh." I pressed my fingers to his lips. "I love you. Please don't."

He fell silent immediately. But pulled me closer to him and brushed a stray lock of hair out of my face.

"I love you too. My Bella, my wife….. My world."

Our honeymoon had only begun, but I was already completely content. I didn't mind if this turned out to be our only activity for the entirety of our honeymoon, this was all I needed. This was all I would ever need. Not only had our honeymoon just begun, but our lives fell into the same category. The beginning, that's all this was. We had forever ahead of us.

"Forever is all I'm asking for." I had said. It seemed so long ago, even though it had been under a half of a year since I said it. At that time, it had seemed like forever was too far away, but now here I was - staring at my forever. The view was stunning. All I could see was my husband, and that's all I had ever wanted to see. Danger would come and go, but I could handle any change in life as long as I had Edward by my side as my constant. I looked into the eyes of my future, my forever - and I had no fear.


End file.
